:) | Week 86

Hey Guys!

Enjoy Memorial day. I have lost track of all the holidays in the United States haha. Riley and Zach are going to be getting out of school soon! Exciting. I loved all the updates and Dad i will be rooting for you! Im so glad your gonna be back into the traithlon. Where is the high adventure hike planned for?

I personally do not know an Elder Ward here but if I see one I will let you guys know haha.

I sure love you guys!

We had a really strangely crazy week here. While getting the wedding for R and J set up the lawyer we know could only do it on Tuesday so in about a day and a half we got all the stuff ready haha. We were running around like crazy people. It all went well and they had a simple but good wedding. They thanked us afterwards for what we did. Those are really the best moments in the mission. On Wednesday we had to make up for lost time so we did divisions in our area I left with a member and my companion with another so we were able to cover more ground.

Friday J was baptized  She was so happy and we all left with a great feeling inside. Im so excited for this family and I hope that things work out this time. R has been married a couple times before.

With alot of things to do this week we felt like never had a "normal" day haha. So we are looking forward to getting into a good rythmn this week. The lord has been blessing us alot. Sometimes in this part of Guetemala it can be interesting with how the church funcions. There are alot of people who face many challenges economically. Alot of the weight is on the missionaries to help, visit, and keep things under control haha.

We are preparing this week for our last zone conference with President and Hermana Watts. Im so sad. They are going to be heading home the 26th of June. It is going to be a special conference.

I have been thinking this week alot about people. In my service here in Guatemala I have met ALOT of people haha. Everyone of us is a child of god. We are all different and distinct with our own talents and weaknesses, strengths and defects. In the world there are many languages. I have had the chance to learn and interact with people using a language that I did not know before. But there is a language that we all can speak. And that is the language of love. There are so many people in the world that just need a little bit of love. We all have enough people that tell us we arent good enough or that we dont amount to anythings. That is how satan talks. We need more people that say " I love you " or " Dont give up ". I hope we can all let love be our purpose in all that we do. President Monson has said "Never let a problem to be solved become more important than a person to be loved"

I express my love to you. Thank you for all that you do for me. I love my dear family, freinds, and the people that I serve. I hope you know that. Have a great week! Adios!

Con amor,

Elder Hughes

HEY...HEY….HEY | Week 85

Whats up guys!

I hope your having a great Monday. Thanks for the updates on Sports. Riley great job this week with all the baseball upsets. Im excited to come out to see you play next spring. Have you been getting playing time? I loved your message dad about Patriachal blessings. I cherish my blessing and I invite all to read theirs weekly. It helps me maintain an eternal perspective on my life. And when when keep that perspective it is alot easier to make correct choices.

We had a REALLY busy week! Elder F and I are gaining some momentum here in Colombia. We taught more lessons this week than we ever have in both of our missions. It total we taught 30! So we have been running all over the place. We have had to do divisions to be able to cover all the apppointments. We have really felt the lords blessings the last couple weeks.

We found a great new family this week. The S family. Such great humble people. The husband doesnt want to listen to us but his wife R and her three children are so great. Probably some of the humblest people ive ever met. R has health problems and told us that she was feeling so down last week but has felt a new spirit in her life. Lots of obstacles to overcome but anything is possible with the Lord.

A M was baptized this week. He is twelve years old and if you remember last month his grandmother and sisters were also baptized. He was so excited and we are going to contunue to work with him so that one day he can serve a mission. I had to baptize him four times hahah. His foot kept popping out of the water. Hahaha. Well he left the chapel really clean!

This last week we celebrated the "semana de la familia" or week of the family. There were activities at the church everyday and we were able to bring investigators with us. We all learned how we can improve in our family life. Of course it caused me to reflect on my wonder family. I am so grateful for the many traditions we have as a family that bring us together in love and unity. I have been thinking this week. We only have to do three simple things during the week to have a successful family. 1. Family prayer. The family that prays together stays together. 2. Family scripture study. Everday in the mission we have "companionship study" that is basically what we must do within each of our families. Everday. The lord will bless all of us. and lastly 3. Family home evening. Im so grateful that although we were not perfect at it we regularly held family home evening. Thanks Mom and Dad for teaching me these things. I know that if we simply do these three things we will have more, peace, love, joy, happiness in our homes. So lets PLEASE do them. Its what God has told us to do. They are primary answers. Its like the alphabet ABCD. The Mormon alphabet is now OBEY haha.

We are gearing up for another exciting week in the work of the lord. We have a couple who is getting married tomorrow wooooo! Gonna have a boda. J and R. We found them a while back . R a less active came back to church and his wife J has progressed really quickly! She is so excited for her wedding and baptism this week.

There are about a million other details and stories I wish I could put in to words but I just dont have much time ahhhhhhh. I love you all so much and Im alwys praying for you. I love this work and know its TRUE. Have a great week and remember to SMILE, LAUGH, and enjoy the journey. I leave you with President Hinkeys words that 

"Life is like an old-time rail journey—delays, sidetracks, smoke, dust, cinders, and jolts, interspersed only occasionally by beautiful vistas and thrilling bursts of speed. The trick is to thank the Lord for letting you have the ride."

Have a great week and know that I love you all!

Elder Hughes

Mother's Day | Week 84

Enjoy a very sweet message from Guatemala!

It was so nice to "see" you guys yesterday. Thanks for your support and love it really means so much to me. These next few months are going to fly by so lets take advantage of them. I love you all so much and know that you are in my thoughts and prayers. Tell al the grandparents, cousins, aunts and uncles I say hi. If you can send me the video that you took Id like to see it too haha

Love you guys 

Elder Hughes

It's Raining!! | week 83

Hey guys!

Well its great to hear from you on this May monday! Thats so crazy that Matthew is back in town. Wow time goes by so fast! Dad I'm wishing you a happy birthday! To be completely honest I have lost track of how old your turning If im not wrong like 43 hahah. I hope you have a great one and ill be able to sing to you on Sunday.

Well we had a busy one this last week. Tuesday we took all the new missionaries out to work in our zone for their first day in the field  Kind of crazy organizing everything but we got the house all set up for them. I worked with Elder E from peru. We had a great time and I was able to give him a couple pointers as he starts his mission. I feel like it was yesterday when I was in their shoes.

For changes my companion Elder D had a transfer. Kind of a suprising one but it was sad to see him go. I got a new companion named Elder F he is from Guatemala. He is pretty well known throughout the mission. Awesome guy and he always keeps me laughing haha. He has a gift with the people here. So im learning alot from him right now. I believe we are going to be here for a good amount of time.

We had an awesome week of work. I kind of feel like we are wiping the slate clean this week as we found 12 new investigators. We were able to start working with a woman named I. We knocked on her door one day after her husband left her. She has been going through a rough time. She has three kids so we are going to be helping her move houses this week. 

We almost set some more baptismal dates this week. We are excited for the coming weeks.

We had some crazy experiences this week in our area. We are in one of the most dangerous zones here in the capital of Guatemala. The Lord protects us always. Ive got some good stories for after the mission hahahaha.

I am so grateful for the oppourtunity I have to serve here in Guatemala. I have really learned to enjoy every minute. Life is too short to worry about everything. I thought of you Mom, Dad, and all the family as I read a quote from president Monson this week. He said " Yes the Lord is mindful of his missionaries and their fathers, their mothers, their grandparents, and all who sacrifice for their support, that precious souls may be taught and provided His gospel" I thank everyone who has supported and sacrificed for me before and during my service as a missionary. It means so much to me and you are not forgotten. The wise teaching of my parents and church leaders stick with me. And I pray for all of you. I have a testimony of this restored gospel. It is the key to peace and happiness in this life. I know its true. I wouldnt be here if I didnt know it. I hope we can all ponder about how we became true diciples of Christ. I have developed a deep love for the people of Guatemala and for my family and freinds. Lets appreciate life one day at a time. Loving, lifing and serving others. Its is then when we will understand the true purpose of living and of life!

I love you guys and Im so excited to chat on Sunday! And if there are any technical difficulties my phone number is xxxxxxx but you have to put the area code thing. Have a great week!!!!!!!!!

Love

Elder Hughes