Christmas Break in Rockford

well howdy howdy this week!!!

fyi this letter might not be one of my best....we usually write our emails at the Rockford college where there is no time limit on the emails and since it's Christmas break and there is no school going on which means that there is no need for the library to be open either so we are now at the library where there is a time limit to write our letters.... :/

but it was so awesome to be able to talk to all of you. you all sound so different but in a good way. i miss you all terribly and that was one of the best Christmas gifts ever was being able to talk to you all. :)

So has Austin gotten his call yet?? I'm so curious to know where hes going...its Spanish speaking so he better be prepared...but hes not going to Mexico so no worries there ;) 

this week idk what else to really say since we just talked and I got to tell you everything! the food is the same...different and the people are awesome. this week it has been hard to meet with our investigators due to holiday's or something its like they forgot about our appointments.

MIROS is getting BAPTIZED THIS SATURDAY!! :) what a way to start the new year eh? 1/1/11 is her date and its gonna be one of a kind! :)

funny things this week is that i keep talking in my sleep and its getting worse and worse...to the point that i am having literal conversations with Hermana Layton she goes with it to see how long I can keep talking for...I'm almost not knowing whether to believe her or not anymore cause the things she says that i say are so absurd...

today for p day we had one of the members in our ward who gave us free passes to go the YMCA for the day which was fun since we got to play racquetball and try out these new exercise machines...something to change things up.. and then its off to the stake center to play sports and write letters oh and i think that the sisters are gonna be painting nails or something....idk...I don't see a point in painting my toes when there gonna be in boots anyways... but oh well...

and this is so sad and probably one of the shortest letters Ive written but i honestly have run out of things to say...kind of like dad did on Sunday... so it might help if you shoot some questions my way and i can answer them! :)

what are all your plans for new years? we have to be in our apt by 7pm and can't go to any ward parties or anything and chances are I'll be asleep but you would never know due to the fact that ill still be talking!!! :)

well I love you. hope all is well and that you have a very HAPPPPPPY NEWWW YEARS!!!!! 2011 baby!!! :)

p.s. i bought a new memory card so pictures galore here i go a taking em! :)

xoxoxoxoxxo

love you soo much!!

Hermana Maughan

p.s.s. have fun starting school next week :)

NC

So its great to have been able to call home! And to answer the question about why no one likes Duke.. let me tell you all the rich people LOVE duke and all the lower class are divided into NC state and NCU which are the shirts I sent. It is just really hard to find Duke stuff but it’s really funny to see how If you like a team that they don’t, they already pretty much hate you… That’s why when they ask me who I like I say “whoever will give me a scholarship” and then there all ok with that and sometimes go into why I should go into in school and not the other haha its funny.

O something interesting is that I lost my driver’s license… and not my wallet.. and I can remember where it is.. its really weird we must have gremlins haha. So it looks like ill be getting a NC license any way haha! I think its way funny.

 And it snowed on Sunday and it was like about 2-3 feet of it! That has never happened in NC since about WWII it was crazy and a lot of fun. But we were not allowed to take out the cars or bikes because the people drive so crazy when it snow and no one has the right stuff to clean the roads. Like they were using john deer’s to move it. Man it was funny to think what Tim is going thru right now or about all those people in Canada hahahaha o and there was no church because of the snow haha

O and about the letters Tim writes me every week and its really fun. Most of my friends have been writing me but it has slowed down a little because im entering into the forgotten year of my mission.. the first 6 month are great because everyone still remembers you and then the last 6 months everyone that never sent you a letter sends one because they feel bad. But its been ok because as much as I LOVE to get letters, days that I don’t I just move on and get lost in the work and forget all about being home sick or anything like that. So life is still good and over the call It was more like let me and Tim talk and you all can listen haha.

And that’s crazy about the suns.. so we got vince carter well that’s cool maybe ill have to get his and nashes jersey before they retire haha, but thanks for keeping me informed and I hope the heat win it all!

This Christmas was very different this year and I hope you know im filling up my memory card fast on my new camera with videos and pics so you can all be happy! I still have to get a new memory card because yesterday when we were shopping I had to use my hope card for my food because the credit card wasn’t working so that why some money is gone.

But I love you all and I hope everyone really had a MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

Love your friend 

ELDER CHRISTOPHER MAUGHAN!!!         

HO HO HO!!! FELIZ NAVIDAD!!!!

THANKS FOR THE PACKAGES!!!! I LOVE THE MUSIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I got that on saturday and then i got a christmas card from oma and the weddingtons! so theyll be getting a card in the mail soon to say thanks! :) As for nanas chocolates i havent recieved those yet...but i am waiting so anxiously for them to get here :)

This week was dun dun dun transfers. I am staying here in the good ol sticks of Rockford and me and hna layton are staying together. One of the things that i said before transfers happened was that I told Elder Garcia that if he was getting transferred I would do the blazing challenge at buffalo wild wings which is where you eat 12 wings with the blazing sauce in 6 minutes....basicially death. well i think heaven wanted a laugh cause i only said that cause i didnt think that he would be transfered...well turns out that he was the ONLY one in our zone that got transferred. so yesterday for lunch i lived up to my promise and yes..did the blazing challenge and beat everyone else...my time was 4:40...grossest thing in the world...the pictures following are disgusting and basically very very very gross...so enjoy.

AS for the spiritual side of things: MIROS IS GETTING BAPTIZED!!!!!

weeeeee! her date is Jan 8th! :) this family is so cool. they are memebers and went inactive so we have been visiting with them and in the process of teaching Miros her Mom and Brother have been reactivated in the church and have now become super active members! :) Alan her 16 year old brother is recieving the priesthood this sunday and then he is going to baptize his sister!!! so awesome!! :) :) :)

Jose is now preparing to serve a mission and has been going out with the spanish elders. this work is just so awesome! I love these people sooo much and the spanish is hard..its so hard cause like the only time that the speaking of the spanish really goes on is in the lessons and at church other than that its english cause there are only 4 of us missionaries that are spanish speaking in our zone...but slowly and very slowly i think i am understanding more and more...little by little. the people are patient which is nice.

as for the snow it has snowed more and more and more and more...which is guacala! we will definately be having a very very very white christmas this year.  but we dont have anyone feeding us on christmas :(

the thing with most latinos is that their christmas is the 24th...so when they say christmas its really christmas eve. so we had passed the calendar around church to feed us and some had signed up for the 24th and then we were talking to la familia salazar which is the familia de jose and they asked us if we had any where to eat on christmas. ok so christmas means the 25th thats christmas... we told them that we didnt have anyone feeding us so they said to come to their house. we gladly agreeeeed....only to then find out that they ment the 24th...so great. two dinner appts on the 24th and none on actual christmas...:( so looks like well be going with the zls to their dinner appt.... feeeeed the missionaries....it stinks when they dont get fed.... so thank you family for feeding the missionaires last week... You will be blessed even more because as representatives of Jesus Christ you feed us and its like feeding Jesus himself so you will not go unrewarded. D&C84:89

This year for christmas the missionaires in my zone live fairly close together...like 2 districts we always have district meeting combined cause its just easier so i get to see alot of the other missionaires a lot which is kind of unusual i hear... but its super fun. so this year we are getting together in the morning and bringing some of our presents and openening them togehter like a family :) so i have yet to open the other packagaes i have :) :)

But thats all I can think of for now...I get to talk to you in three days so i can fill you in there!

Thanks for talking to mo....  Im so glad she came by to see you guys i miss her.

    

I love you all so much! look forward to hearing from you and Ill talk to you soon!!!!!!!!

la iglesia es verdadera, el libro es azul y te amo!

paz y amor,

Hermana Maughan

Merry Christmas Week

Well I'll start off by saying………. MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

            Haha but it’s a great time of year! And its funny because when I came out to NC it was the hottest summer in 67 years and now it’s the coldest winter on record haha I just had to bring the best to north Carolina haha and the real funny thing is that it is nothing compared to what Tim is going through!! She must be cooled I been hearing that the northern states are getting it bad…but there used to it down here the people will shut down the schools if there is even a chance of snow… think really it happened the other day and then everyone runs to the stores and get all the milk and bread that they can, and when we knock at their doors they look at us like we are crazy to be outside and then we tell that its really not that big of a deal and they look like we have lost our minds haha….. but they still won’t let us in haha, I love tracting it’s so much fun! I rather be teaching but I do what I got to do. O and yes we still bike all the time but now that we live with the Spanish elders we share a car and I get to drive since I'm senior comp haha. And it makes things a lot easier and we are now able to go places that I have not ever been able to go to! And training is going great elder koplin has come a long way and we are having lots of fun and just laughing all the time J

            Hum…. What more…… well for Christmas Eve and Christmas we are basically under house arrest… we are not allowed to go out to see people and tract (which makes a lot of sense I know I wouldn’t want the missionary’s coming to my door on Christmas) we can only go to people homes that invite us, so people are inviting us over and it sounds like its going to be a merry Christmas but not a white one like Tim, just a frozen one haha. But the best part is going to be calling the Fam! YAY haha and thanks dad for setting that up it means a lot! And I won’t even bother asking questions because will have 40 mins for that!

                        So I hope everyone has a merry CHRISTMAS!!!! It’s a great time of the year and its really great to feel the love through your letters and your many prayers for me I really need them haha and I pray for ALL of you and yes it makes my praying very long just like mom hahaha that was a joke… man I'm funny. But THANKS SO MUCH and once more

MERRY CHISTMAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

           

All my love (which is a lot)

 ELDER CHISTOPHER G. MAUGHAN!!!!!!!!! Aka Maughanstar                         

Jose's Baptism

hey hey hey!!!!

Well another busy busy week has passed on by! :) First of all.........

WE had our zone conference yesterday and this is where we recieved the packages that people have been sending me...no wonder ive had air box for the past two weeks! this is what I have recieved thus far:... 2 boxs from home..one that said open at zone conference and one that said open at christmas. then i recieved two from lillian which i haven opened yet but was super sweet of her and im writing her back today:) and then I got one package from nana and im also writing her today. so no music yet:( I swear people at the office are hiding my mail! how does chris get his so fast!! so thank you to all who sent me things!!! Thanks mom for the sweater and jeans :) :) p.s. I felt soo great there because i had the most packages and other missionaries couldnt believe i was loved so much :) so thank you thank you thank you.

second saturday was the best day EVER!!!!! JOSES BAPTISM!!! which WAS AWESOMEEEEEEE!!! It was a little stressful getting everything ready because the font water was coming out at like 60 degrees...so no jacuzzii for jose like he requested more like arizona swimming pool in the winter...so we were like boiling pots of water in the kitchen and yes caring them over to the font...then on our programs hna lyton spelled joses last name wrong..but president and his wife came and that was awesome. we also had a couple of our investigators show up and AHHH Mari is the one we have just started teaching and she is the one who gave us the tree she came and oh man she loved it. guys the spirit was soooooooooo strong and just awesome. jose was so happy and even said that he is now preparing to serve a mission himself. which is even more awesomeee!!! :) I also played my flute which thank goodneess i had a good piano player elder bowers who just made me sound that much  better. but it really was an awesome baptism like just seeing these peoples lives change for the better as they accept the gospel and their testimonies grow.

Dec 13, 2010 Elder Maughan

Well thanks for the music it’s been great!! But I’m not eating that candy tell Christmas J I can’t wait that’s going to be a fun day, sorta we are only allowed to go see family’s that invite us over  so not much to do other then CALL HOME hah I am going to really enjoy that because as you can tell there is a lot of stuff that that I forget to say in my letters……I rather talk!

Now thinking back at this week….. nothing really happened….except yesterday we got Debbies address and we went there and she was home! She had a new number she lost ours too so she said she would call today and we will be teaching her again and this time I really feel that she will get baptized and stay active because she still hasn’t smoked or had coffee! So that’s exciting. 

Smithfield is doing great the members are ready for CHRISTmas and so am I, the weather is ok there isn’t much snow here only ice storms which means it rains for two days then it all freezes and destroys stuff….. but it sounds like Timothie is enjoying her weather there haha she might be the only one that has a white Christmas this year.

O mom I haven’t gotten new running shoes yet I haven’t found anything here….. I'm just getting to big haha but I'm not putting on any wait yet which is weird because I don’t think people here know what the word health means hah I'm just joking.

But training elder Koplin is going good he is picking things up fast and he is a little quiet but I'm fixing that haha he is really opening up and starting to get used to the flow of things.

We are getting a long great and now being able to teach by the spirit together which is the way it’s supposed to be. The spirit is amazing and there is always something I can get better at its great!!

Well take care and I hope your all doing great I pray for all of you!!!

All my love  ELDER MAUGHAN                

Mexican Snowman

hola mi familia! Les extrano mucho mucho mucho mucho!!!!

first of all--as for packages...this is what Ive gotten and I got it on Thursday after my pday and it was the ADVENT calendars!! Thank you! Hna Layton says thank you too! It was actually kind of funny cause when we were grocery shopping that day we passed by some and i told hermana layton that my mom used to get these for us all the time and just how much they reminded me of home and then in the mail! BOOOOOM!!! that's what I got! ...but letters are like my umbilical cord to the outside world. to my home and my friends..

This week we also received 7 inches of snow.....blaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah. oh and it has been SOOOOOOOOO hot here. the average this week was a whopping 6 degrees with the av low being 0 and the average high being 10...talk about hot..man I'm sweating up a storm almost so bad that it really feels like ice particles on my face instead of sweat... so on Saturday for language study we had a very successful study and talked in spanish the whole time while we built a mexican snowman!  pictures to follow...

and we should be getting more snow tomorrow :/

Joses baptism is this week and we are soooo excited! I am going to be playing the flute in the program so well see how this goes :) but Jose is so excited and really ready for this. hes even started looking into mission stuff..... :) :)

This week has been very very busy and I just don't ever feel like there is enough time to get anything done... but last Friday was training for the trainers so that they know how to train so the other 2 sisters in our zone who are also the trainees came to my area and i was senior comp for the day and had to drive which was the first time i had since I've been out and we just went contacting contacting contacting....oh and also did i mention that they are sisters--not hermanas....which means i was solo solo on the spanish speaking... boy was that fun when members from the branch called the phone who only speak spanish...but actually it was a really good day because it was a day full of work and i felt like i really had to step it up since i was like by myself....with no trainer.

This week we also had our Christmas nativity activity as a stake and this is where the spanish branch sang..pictures are also following :)

as for this week me and hna layton have just been teaching teaching teaching...good things are happening here in Belvedire and Rockford in fact we might be all of progressing investigators pretty soon within the next month or so and we might just might have a whole bunch of recent convert lessons to teach....;) ;)

Sunday night after a long day of teaching we get home pull into our driveway and just as the garage closes the lights go out...transformer outside blew and thus we had no power. which means no lights. and most importantly no heat....and when its 3 degrees outside plus the lovely friendly wind..our house got sooo cold...i think it got down to 40 degrees before the power came back on. So what happens when you don't have any power and a dying flashlight plus two hermanas? ....you build a fort!!! A giant fort! that is

Yesterday at one of our teaching appts with this lady named Marí I complimented her on her tree and it was real and she went on to tell us how she volunteers at the salvation army and they gave it to her for free and just how much she loves Christmas trees. and then i  just went on talking to her and told her how our apt looks so super bare and doesn't feel like home or Christmas since we don't have a tree in our apt. she then goes... "I have one! I'm not using it. here take it take it." SO now we have a Christmas tree in our apt!!! cool huh? hahahahahahahahhaah its a white one with pastel colored lights... perfect for our mansion and chevy malibu car named barbie... :)

  

oh and the Christmas devo was good I sure love our prophet and what an awesome blessing it is to be able to have a living Prophet on earth today to guide and direct us. I am so grateful for this gospel and the Book of Mormon. There are some really awesome things in there and treasures that can really be found when your searching daily.

p.s. you know your a missionary when....you think listening to the Muppet Christmas carols is funny and you know all the words to the songs due to the fact that its either muppets or mo tab choir....

I love you muchly!!

Hermana Maughan

Who is the Maughanstar?

Well how is everyone doing? I’m doing good and really excited about Christmas which is coming up fast and I still don’t know how the calling thing is going to go… but I’ll let you know as soon as I can!! Can’t wait for that call, it’s weird that I’ve never wanted to make a call so bad.. haha

                But anyways this week is good I’m training Elder Koplin he is good and it’s been a lot of fun. He is from salt lake and likes basketball…..=)

so that’s good and its going good… but I was looking at Tim’s letter and they are sooooooo long whats that all about? I can’t get out more than a page if I’m lucky…. Do all the other missionary’s write so much and I’m just a slacker? Ouch o well, what can you do right? Haha I’ll try harder……….

             But Debbie has disappeared ...so that all kind of stinks  because she had stopped smoking and was really on fire….

             We are doing a lot of finding and speaking of finding while we were here e-mailing we stared to talk to this man next to us and he wants to learn more about the church…. So keep in mind that god puts the people in our way that need us or we need them… so I let Elder Koplin do most of the talking so he can learn…. :D it’s a lot like being a parent…. Sort of… no diapers thank good ness!

            It just got cooled here and snowed for one day then it all melted… it doesn’t snow here much but we do get ice storms and it’s….. Different. Haha

            We were able to see the Christmas devotional last night which really got me into the Christmas spirit and thanks for the advent calendar that helps too. It was funny because I was like I think I need one of those and then the zone leaders are like you got two things and one was from you (mom and dad) and the other was from nana and elder koplin says thanks too!! So that made it really funny and I was very very happy! And Christmas on a mission feels so great even if my last companion is home now with his family….. he was singing “ill be home for Christmas” his last week (I sorta sung it a lot for him) 

        Ummmmm I'm thinking that is really it and wow look at how much I was able to write!! Wow your all so lucky haha jk but I really love you! Take care and enjoy this time of year! MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AAAAA its almost here!!!!!!!! haha I make myself laugh!

       LOVE LOVE LOVE

            FROM ELDER MAUGHAN who is the MAUGHANSTAR               

Beary Scary

Being tall can have it's disadvantages on rare occasions...

I'll Walk in the Light

Teach me to walk in the light of his love

Teach me to pray to my Father above

Teach me to know of the things that are right

Teach me, teach me to walk in the light.

Me and Hermana Layton in Wisconsin?

We literally see miracles everyday here. Even when you don't think your inspired to go somewhere like needing to get more contacts lenses fast one day we went to parking lot of a Mexican grocery store... you really are. God totally directed our path as we ran into someone who used to be a very active member of the church, his girlfriend isn't a member and she has a lot of questions. Over time he has become very inactive but no other church has felt more at home as the LDS ones and so we will be teaching them.

See just little things that happen and you know you are where you are supposed to be at the time that you're supposed to be there. 

Yesterday was zone meeting and so president and his wife came. We had interviews and in my interview with the president...idk its weird but I'm not the only one who can't believe that I've only been here for 3 weeks. It seriously feels like so much longer and pres was like "wait. youve only been here 3 weeks?" "ya three weeks yesterday" and he was like "honestly it feels like you have been with us so much longer. not only three weeks." So i guess that could be taken as a good or a bad thing?? :)

One of our investigators Jose Gonzales moved from Florida and is now living with his recent convert sister and her family. He was the typical 20 year old boy you would expect so when he first met the missionaries this is how he introduced himself.... sister says "so your the brother of Lucero?" Jose says "Ya and I have my own religion."

Well now he is GETTING BAPTIZED!!!!!!!! On December 11th BABY!!!! boom! aw It is seriously sooo exciting! Jose has completely changed his life and he even went from having the long curly hair to the short curly hair. He looks like a saint. Yes a latter-day saint. We had given him the baptismal commitment last week and he was 80% sure but then on Saturday I had the prompting to ask him again and he just flat out said YES. He then explained to us that he had really been praying to receive an answer and since then he is holding on to that rod tight.

:) I love you and miss you sooo much!

thanks for all your emails they really boost and help me throughout the week. hope all is well and I cant wait to hear from you! :)

Paz y amor, Hermana Maughan

Elder Maughan Transfer update

            Well its another P-day…and the end of another transfer…. And to no surprise I'm getting a new comp because elder Weaver is going home, and I'm going tomorrow with him to the transfer meeting because I'm picking up my boy… that’s missionary language for I'm TRAINING. Yep I get to help a new missionary get use to North Carolina and I don’t know anything about him yet so I'll have to let you know next Monday. This is really exiting and it looks like I'll be in Smithfield for a long time haha.

            Another thing that is exiting is that Bruce the man I baptized last is moving back to Arizona! His address is ...I also gave him your number Dad ...I know mom and dad you can really help him and keep the missionary work going J haha now you can get a little of the joy I have felt.

            My thanksgiving was good I did get a lot of food and this week has been full of fun. It’s great to see how much Smithfield has grown in just the time I've been here! Haha and what is this about Brett being engaged already that’s crazy and good for him. haha something else that happened was the 4 elders in Smithfield (2 Spanish and 2 English) sung in church Sunday it was a lot of fun. Elder weaver and I sing and the end of most of our lessons so I hope my new comp can sing because it really helps the spirit come in and helps us end on a good note. Ummmmmmmmm well life is GREAT and I'm really interested to hear about your new job dad, and mom did Heritage win in Football and how dose the b ball team look?

 All my love ELDER MAUGHAN           

Happy Thanksgiving from IL 11-23-10

Welp hola there mi familia and others reading this letter!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!!!! so this week since thanksgivng is on thursday we get like a pday and a half... today we only have till 12 to get all our shopping and emails done and then tomorrow is like our pday minus the shopping and emails. and speaking of shopping yes i have done some. I honestly dont know how chris has only spent 7 dollars and whatever cents... but then again he had completely everything he needed for north carolina. it is seriously SOOOOOOOO COLD HERE!!! yesterday we hit 20 degrees and wearing a skirt with the wind and everything is sooo not fun. I am sorry that I spent so much I was trying to be really good but winter clothes are not cheap. We even went on a sale day where stuff was an extra 50% off the already marked down items. My winter coat...if I could use two words to describe it it would be...sleeping bag. That is exactly what it looks like.A gray poofy sleeping bag.  awfulness. but it should keep me warm and thats what matters. I will send pictures when I wear it :/..  and now I definately dont need to do anymore clothing shopping. Im good and set to go. I also had to get some ear muffs and more leggings and thicker tights because this wind is NOT my friend. I seriously have no idea how Im gonna survive contacting in this FU-REEEEzing cold. I am missing Az heat sooooo bad.

Oh and on Monday I had my first encounter with yes a TORNADO!  they have these sirens that go off when there is tornado and well they went off, the branch president called and told us to get to our apt and hide in the bathroom. the district leader elder trujillo told us to get our mattresses and put them over us--which I dont know how much of this actually helps if the tornado actually does hit the house... anyways me and hermana layton quickly went and cleaned the toilet just in case we had to grab onto the toilet we knew it would be clean...the weather was the weirdest thing. It was soo windy and by the looks of it it should have been reaallllllly cold. but instead it was like 66 degrees and the wind was hot. then it was raining all of the sudden out of no where like huge rain drops and the tornado hit like 20 minutes away from our apt. good thing I got my protection shield in action...

What was really funny about it all was that just that morning after our district meeting all us missionaries went to lunch and while we were at lunch one of the missionaries just happened to say--a Jewish man prophesied that in the year 2010 all of Illinois would be destroyed by tornado and we were all laughing and thought that was super bizarre and funny ha ha ya and then 2 hours later boom! REAL tornado!

Other than that we have taught some awesome lessons this week and I feel like I am understanding little by little more and more spanish. My dreams are now being in spanish every now and then--for the past 3 days they have been and I am finding it hard to remember the english words for some of these words like pero, entonces, y, sí, pues, gracias etc etc... so hopefully this means good things..

We have one investigator jose gonzales-- who is 80% sure he wants to get baptized and hes already asked one of the elders to do it so we just got to get him to that 100% surety....ahhhh! Its so crazy when they are so close and you know that this gospel really does bring so much peace and helps life in so many ways that sometimes its hard to say.

Congrats on the engagement Brett! thats pretty exciting! what a way to come home eh?! :) :)

 Oh and mom with the rhyming thing..its been pretty funny cause we have texting here with the older elders and people in our zone and in all my texts for some reason Ive been on a rhyming rhythm thing and so now some of them have become jokes within our zone...like this one have a good night, sleep tight known you did aight by choosing the right and bringing people to da light...

I hope your thanksgivings are wonderful and enjoy the crazy! and I cant wait to hear from you again! I love love love you all!

xoxoxo Hermana Maughan

Elder Christopher Maughan 11-23-10

          Well today is Tuesday and it’s my p-day because yesterday was the mission tour which I’ll talk about latter. But Debbie will not be getting baptized this week because we still have to teach her some stuff and she will be out of town a lot because her son is getting new casts for his feet. But it’s looking great she has still stopped smoking and I think really she wants to get baptized so I’ll keep you informed about her. Bruce and Jason are doing great! The ward really helps and they just love coming. And they are able to help us a lot with missionary work as well. Haha its great!

            Another cool story is that this week I got sick for a day (I'm all better now) but we had district meeting in the morning and I wasn’t doing so good but then we went to a lesson with a new convert. The lesson wasn’t going so good and I just didn’t want to be there but then I prayed for strength and felt great! I was able to ask some really good questions that brought out a really big concern and testify and bear testimony on it but as soon as I was done I felt terrible a gen, but my comp was able to take it from there. When I got home I feel asleep and the next day was great a gen. it was really cool and I know that through the spirit anything can happen! It was also really weird because I felt perfect until I had said everything that I needed to say. =D  it was fun.

            Then yesterday we had Elder Packer come and talk to us (president Packers oldest son) and he is going to Queen Creek in a few weeks for stake conference so thats cool. But it was really neat and I learned a lot about how the spirit works/ what I need to do to have it with me. He gave some really good talks and I was able to really see some was to become better at my calling. I love how in this gospel there is never an end to how much we can learn and get better. The lord will always give us something new to learn so we can get better but we have to choose to do it, there are no fence sitters in Christ church and as such we have the chance to choose to become better and he is there to help. 

            But I'm really excited for Christmas! And ill be in Smithfield for it because my comp is leaving , this is his last week and transfers are on the 30^th so yep… ill be in Smithfield. for at least 6 months of my mission… that’s ¼ of my two years… wow that’s weird…. But get to work haha well I love you all and I really hope everything is going great! You da’ best!  Haha that’s southern I'm getting good at it.

ELDER MAUGHAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!           

Chicago, Chicago, I just want to say...

They do not lie when they tell you that missionary work is work. The spanish is sooo hard. I have such a burning desire to help our investigators and I want them to come to Christ soooo bad but its really hard to know what to say when you don't even know what has been said in the conversation....but its good.

• Wednesday night we teach an Enlgish class
• Thursday is planning for the week day
• Friday we had a lot of appointments.
• Saturday we did some major contacting
• Sunday went to my little little spanish branch and whew this spanish is a doooosey...after church it was choir practice and then we went and did 21 contacts that day!!
• Monday I bore testimony about reading the Book of Mormon
• Tuesday was also a good day full of contacting and walking and working with recent converts

My love for this work and these people have truely grown and I just want to have these people know what I know and come unto chirst sooooo bad.

But today me and Hermana Layton are doing some shopping for winter clothes as we should be getting some snow this week--AHHH!!!! IT IS SERIOUSLY SOOOOOO COLD HERE!!!!!

I lLOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE YOU ALL and I cant wait to hear from you!

Paz y Amor,

Hermana Maughan

P.s. to all my friends--my mail has been very slow this week...alls I got was my letter from my bro...have you all dissapeared?? I really like mail and I really like all of you so write me letters!

Elder Maughan - With God Anything is Possible

Well let’s think... this week but I bet it wasn’t as interesting as Tim’s haha. But the best thing right now is Debby! She has stopped smoking after a really powerful lesson where we gave her a blessing, another great thing about that lesson was that we had Bruce come and his mind has opened up so much! He was able to tell how he was able to overcome smoking and that he knew that if we gave her a blessing she wouldn’t smoke again. It was amazing so she still hasn’t smoked and came to church yesterday and you could see the light in her growing. She also had some concerns about how baptism was done so we had her come to one and she said it made her feel a lot better, it was crazy the kind of things she thought had to happen for a baptism that I won’t really go into but she is getting baptized the 27^th of this month!! So now it’s just teaching her everything in that short time but I know she can make it!

                That was really the biggest things that happened this week, the rest was going and seeing less active, new coverts and lots of tracking. Haha it’s a lot of fun and my comp isn’t getting to trunky but I bet he will some time, but we are working really hard and just loving it. It’s really cool to see how the spirit is able to work when you’re doing what’s right, like it happens almost every day that we will have plans but then I felt like we should go somewhere else and there is someone that needs us. Its hard to explain but know that the Holy Ghost Is real and if you feel like you should do something then do it! You can’t go wrong if you follow the spirit haha look at me a missionary even on e-mail haha well I love you all and I pray and fast for everyone as much as I can, and I can feel your love everyday!

LOVE ELDER MAUGHAN

Hello from Chicago

Hola mi familia!!!

Im here! I made it! with only one huge tear in my suitcase....the airport people yes did ruin my blue duffal duffel..no se but they runied it. ripped it all down the seam and tore off the handle..so guess who will need to get a new suitcase here?! ME! Yaaaay!

ok so this is the low down of what happened.......oh and im gonna just start from some stuff I forgot to say at the MTC cause that monday my brain was just fuddled up with all the things I had to do... SO total weight gain at the mtc=4lbs. I did suck up my fear and get a hair cut at the mtc...only cause it was free but you know I should have followed dads advice is that you get what you pay for. I told the lady that I only wanted a trim of like half an inch because I KNEW she would cut more off...just like how sister Putnam went in and told them she wanted 2 inches off and came out with 8 off...so the lady ended up cutting off a good 2 21/2 inches off and yes its crooked. the left side is shorter than the right. and it was the fastest hair cut I have ever had en mi vida...15minutes. in out boom done.

ok and then departure of mtc started at 2:30 in the am on tuesday morning checked in at the travel office and rode on the bus to the salt lake airport with 17 other missionaries headed here to the good ol chicago. once we got off the plane the president and his wife greeted us, we loaded our bags up and he gave us all a pass along card and a BOM and said he would see us at lunch. The AP's Elder French and Elder Gates took us from there to the above ground train that everyone here in Chicago calls the "L" and told us to seperate and we have to give away our BOM...oh and did I mention that mine was in Spanish? GAAAAAA sooo scary...but so the adventure begins right?! So I started talking to this man on the train and asking him about chicago and the things in it, his life a bit, where he worked...found out he was very catholic and ot interested at all but I got to talk to him about what we as missionaries do and stuff so that was cool. Then the stop right before we were supposed to get off this black couple hops on the L and they start talking about school and other things. I said hi and they looked at me and the wife said "You a mormon aintcha?" "Yes I suuure am" "I heard ah you and your little bible" "oh really? well its called the Book of Mormon. Have you read it before?" She said she used to have one and I told her it was an awsome book. My favorite. Her husband then started asking his wife what the book was exactly and she turned to me and said "well she knows!" so then I got to explain what the bom is, and that its another testament of Jesus Christ and yada yada. The woman than says "ya they used to just give those books out for free" I told her that we actually still do...but my book was in SPANISH remember?! so I gave my pass along card to them told them to call the number and then I looked at an Elder and asked if I could have his book and he gave it to me so I gave it to them. Told them if they had any questions they could call the number on the card and someone would be soo happy to answer it. Told them to read 3 Nephi chap 11 and then bore my testimony about how any question you have about life, any problems you have the answers can be found in the book of mormon. This seriously happened in like 2 minutes because the next stop I had to get off. but IT WAS AWESOMEEEEEE!!! I couldnt believe that I actually did it! I just gave away my first BOM and it really it is soo true that people know who we are simply by the was we dress.

After the "L" we got off and went and I had my first taste of Chicago deep dish pizza with the president and his wife. We then took pictures and the APs again took us..and we went on our walking tour of Chi-town...so basically. AAaaaamazing. LOVE the city. My heart belongs in the city...love love love it. our tour was awesome! we went and saw a whole bunch of places like the sears tower and michigan st. But I guess the city is really pretty dangerous so they dont have sisters actually serve in the city...:( que triste but esta bien porque I will be where I am needed. But oh man...Seriously I am so going back. OH! and there is a blog that the president has that there will be pictures and videos of our tour up on the website...Idk what that is now but I will have it soon and be sure to give it to ya.

After the awesome tour..oh and btw the weather was sooo awesome. it was like 67 degrees which apparently has been the best they have had lateley and its only supposed to get cold.er. weeeee

We went to the mission office which you will NEVER guess where it is by....no guesses?....ok Ill tell you...Hooters. yep. hooters. what an awesome place for missionaries to be seen going in and out of right? hahaha but we had some little orientatation thing where we got our new missonary debit cards and stuff and then we went to the mission home and had dinner, a health orientation with sister doll and then our mission pres interviews....seriously when my head the pillow that night I was out..proly out cold while my head was heading to the pillow.

Then today. woke up had breakfast and headed to the naperville stake center where all the new missionaries had ANOTHER orientation and then all the trainers came into the room and boom. I knew who mine was the moment she walked in. She sat directly behind me and I just knew it was her. Surrre enough..President called my name I stood up and he said your trainer is "Hermana Layton" yep the one behind me. you know how I knew it was her? She had on a green headband with yep a flower, and she just popped out like shes the one. We are serving in Rockford IL and then also there is one city in Wisconsin that is part of the Chicago Mission and yep I got that one city. can you say welcome to the sticks? Im in farm land. so like the video that we watched said...be. prepared. to. drive. and they were not lying. we drove all day to get here. which is why my email is gettin to you all soo late. but I am sooo excited. Sister Layton seems awesome and I really feel that great things are going to happen and hopefully my spanish will be one of them. because seriously the spanish here is not the same that I learned or was speaking in the MTC. HELLLLP ME! haha nah it will all be good it will definately be an adventure. Its just so crazy that Im out here in the actual field doing actual work and talking to actual true natives...

Oh and our apt is called the mansion. because it literally is for the missionaries. It is a two bedroom two floor condo, with a garage, kitchen, washer dryer, and 2 1/2 baths. its soooo huge. it used to be for the 4 elders here but they moved to a new apt and we got this one. so its pretty awesome. this is gonna be kinda weird only being the two of us. Ive never lived in an apt with only one other person before. and we drive a malibu...her name is barbie. We have a cell phone and we do get to text. Our mission president is a pretty technological loving guy..him and his wife have a droid, and some sweet video cameras...so we benefit from that.

Tonight we teach english to some people of the spanish branch and so this should be interesting. Im so nervous but I know it will be good. This spanish thing I want to come to me soo bad....

I loved talking to you all yesterday. I sure miss you guys. Dad Im seriously so happy about your job. That is awesome and it sounds like a pretty big deal. thats seriously soo awesome. so I cant wait to get the update from you!

Hope you have a great week I need to go do some shopping.

LOVE YOU ALL SOOOO MUCH!!!!

Hermana Maughan

Baptism for Bruce - ELDER CHRISTOPHER MAUGHAN

Hi Everyone,                                                                                        November 8, 2010

Well sounds like things are going great there! It’s really cool to hear all these little things that happen in your lives. 

            So this week we had a baptism for Bruce, it was really amazing. The spirit was strong. I’m so great full that I have been able to be here in little old Smithfield to see these two sons of God grow. You can truly see the changes the gospel has made in their lives in such a short time, they were happy before but now they are even happier.  I know it doesn’t matter how happy we are now, we can always become happier by becoming closer to Christ. They are doing great and I love being able to keep teaching them. There lights are so much brighter nowJ!!

Another cool thing was that Debbie came to church yesterday! It’s been about …2 month since she has come or I have even talked to her. She has given up coffee and she said she drinks hot coco like water haha. It was so amazing when she came, a big smile came to my face and I just couldn’t believe it, the lord truly works it a great way!!

Well another thing that happened was we had our zone conference and we talked about the new Mormon.org, it’s really cool and I think everyone should go on and check it out, you can also put your own testimony on their along with your life story so investigators can see that this gospel is here to make us happy and change our live for the better!!  

 Austin it’s so great that you put in your papers!!! Maybe you’ll come to the great place of North Carolina with me and don’t worry it’s like only 54 here now and the humidity is for the most part over with!! I know that you will never regret this and at times it might be hard but when you see the gospel change one person’s life it’s all worth it. It is also a time you will change into who god wants you to be.

Well I love you all so much!!!

I’m so happy for you dad! I hope you love your new job! So does this mean we have to support the raptors more than the suns now? I guess it doesn’t matter because they both stink. And mom I get feed really good because the members feed me almost every night and I’m staying the same weight!! Haha  

I’m doing really good right now as you can tell form my long letter today.

All my love!!! ELDER CHRISTOPHER MAUGHAN!!!!                

Last Week at MTC for Hermana Timothie Jessica Maughan

Buenas días!!!

Well, well, well two months ago this day I arrived here at the mtc and now tomorrow I leave here for Chicago!! This is seriously insane! I have alre4ady been out on my mission for the past forever.....As for this week here is the down low of what happened...

Tuesday: well for the third week in a row for our Tuesday devotional I had the opportunity to hear the words and the presence of another great apostle....this week it was Elder Ballard. I just can’t believe that I have been so lucky to have been able to hear and see one apostle let alone 3! Elder Ballard talked about how important it is for us as missionaries to become master communicators, and to be able to talk about the gospel anywhere. He also talked about first impressions and the importance of the fact that we can only make one first impression so we need to make a good one and the key to that is smile. How is the spirit supposed to be able to show through a grumpy face?? It’s not.

Wednesday: Me and Hna West went and did that orientation thing where we were the "model" missionaries and met some investigators and got to know them. It was pretty cool since we got to wear mics and were in front of a lot of missionaries.

Thursday: it was our last TRC and it went really well...our Spanish has gotten so much from when we both first arrived. I can’t even believe the amount of growth that I have had with the Spanish. We taught the plan of salvation and the law of tithing...  

Saturday: well this would be our last gym day and we went out to the field and played softball while we listened to the byu football game going on around us...other than that not much else happened.

Sunday: This day was weird, our last fast Sunday here and it just hit me that this time next week I will be in a new ward with a different companion and not all of the people I’m around will be missionaries. it was the weirdest thing...we had the departure devotional where you learn about all the things you needs to know in your field like flying and basically one last stress on the missionaries to be obedient...and then for the Sunday night Devo Sheri Dew came and spoke to us, and boy is she a great public speaker...she was awesome! She talked about things that we needed to know so that we could fulfill our missions here on earth, and that our time here on earth is like 3minutes and 27 seconds compared to whole scheme of things so how are we going to live these 3min 27 sec?

Today: equals packing, packing, packing....so I’m so sorry if you don’t all get a letter from me as soon as you would have wanted but I have so much to do!! and its a good thing that my pdays are on Wednesdays especially this week because now I get 2 pdays in a week!! :) and tomorrow we are getting a tour of Chicago!

So thank you all for your letters!!! they have been awesome!!

hugs kisses! love you!!

Hermana Maughan