Monday, August 25, 2014

I love you guys! | week 99



Hey guys it is so nice to hear from you! Thanks for the email Dad. Sounds like school and football is getting kicked off. Riley Im so excited that you are going to be with Brother Murray. Tell him that I say hi and I hope you learn alot this year. Seriously seminary helps alot when you get out on the mission. Your going to need to know the scriptures. So take advantage. Thanks for your testimony Dad! It strengthens mine to hear it.

Tell Kyle Fletcher hi! I actually met a returned missionary here in Guatemala that served in Washington DC and was in the same zone as Kyle haha. I cannot remember his name but small world.

So to answer some of your questions. Elder R is from Honduras and is 24 years old. He is a cool guy and we get along great. He has been in the mission for about 15 months. He made a sacrifice to come on the mission. His Dad (Who isnt a member) was completely against him going on the mission. I really look up to alot of missionaries here that through lots of opposition decide to serve the Lord.

Well this last week was a good one! We have been working with D, we were able to talk with her father which went really well. He is a member of the church but is really inactive. We had a sweet lesson with him and felt the spirit really strong. Kind of difficult bringing up the baptism of his daughter. He decided to think about. So we are praying that this week she will be baptised.

We saw a ton of progress in the investigators this week. I dont know if you remember B. She is doing great and her little sister J also wants to be baptized on the 13th of September. We brought J to the stake activity on Sunday and afterwards she came up to me and said "Elder Hughes I WILL be baptized on the 13th of September" So cool!

We have also seen a change in an investigator named A. We have been working with her for a long time. She has a really good friend S who is a member of the Church. Slowly we have seen her progress. She has been coming to all the activities and church meetings. A is 16 years old. We invited her to be baptized this week and she really wants to!

A little bit more about our activity on Sunday. We organized a museum of the restoration where all the missionaries in the Zone was assigned to be a prophet or important character from the restoration. They assigned me to be Joseph Smith haha. We had fun looking for our costumes. Everyone came by in groups of 10 and we each had 3 minutes to share with them. I was able to share with the members and investigators a little more about Joseph Smith and the first vision. As I testified I felt the spirit so strong. It was so cool! I have always looked up to the Prophet Joseph and I know that he was called of God. He did see God the Father and his son Jesus Christ. The Book of Mormon is true. Read it. Ponder its teachings and the truth will be manifest to you.

It was a big success. We are planning on doing it again in a couple weeks. We are going to try and make it bigger this time.

I forgot about the zone conference. Wow Elder Alonso was so powerful. He taught us more about the plan of salvation and how we can work more effectively in the work. It is amazing to be able to meet and learn from the General Authhorities. I know that they are men called of god. We must always follow the Prophet and put into practice what his servants teach us. 

I love you all so much. Have a great week and make everyday count. I appreciate all that you have done for me. I know this work is true!

Love!

Elder Hughes

H went to church in Los Angeles and wrote me to tell me he is going to be receiving the preisthood soon!




Tuesday, August 19, 2014

I love to see the Temple | week 98


Hey Guys!

Mom thanks for the email! I loved it. Woohooo. School is already starting I cannot believe how fast that summer went by. To me it all feels the same here haha. The weather here never really changes much. Half the year it rains more the other half it doesnt rain as much hahaha. 

Well sorry I didnt write yesterday. I forgot to tell you that we were going to be heading to the temple today. Erwin told me you wrote him hahaha. We had an awesome temple trip today. I love going to the temple. It has been a blessing to be able to go every three months now.

Well where do I start! It was a really busy week. I think I have just gotten used to being on the move 24/7. My first week with Elder R was great.

On Wednesday H got baptized. Ahhh it was such a special night. H has been one of the most prepared people I have taught on the mission. The Lord literally sent him to us. The baptism was simple and spritual and you couldnt get the smile off my face haha. Im telling you guys there is no greater joy than to see one of Gods children make covenants and with a sincere heart enter into the waters of baptism. He told me afterward that he wants to serve a mission!

We have been working with a young woman named B. She is 23 and was introduced to the church by her boyfreind who recently returned from a mission. She reminds me alot of you guys mom and dad. I shared with her your story about how you guys met and Dad was baptized. See you guys are doing missionary work down here! She has been coming to church the last couple weeks and accepted a baptismal date for the 13th of September.

Some simple things I was able to do and see this week....

- Help someone who had recently lost a loved one.
- Defend the truth when it was needed.
- See one of my teachers in the ccm Hermano S
- Ponder the blessings I have received in my mission and in my life

We are looking at having a baptism this week. We have been teaching D. We have worked with her Mom who returned to the church. She is ready to go just been difficult with her Father who is an Inactive member and doesnt like the idea that she is going to be baptized. We are praying alot for her.

There are so many things I just dont have time to write about haha. We had a family night last with one of our investigators G. The sister who gave the lesson talked about the importance of the family in Gods plan. I know that the Gospel blesses families. I have been able to see that here in Guatemala and within my own family. I love my family so much. And I love how the spirit brings us together and unites us. Although I havent seen my family for a while. The love I have for you has grown and deepend. I hope you know how much I love you all. I know that families are forever when we live the gospel and make covenants in holy temples. I look forward to having a family of my own some day ;)

I love you all so much! We have a multi zone conference this week with Elder Alonso one of the seventy. Should be pretty cool!

Have a great week and keep smiling!

"The best antidote I know for worry is work. The best medicine for despair is service. The best cure for weariness is the challenge of helping someone who is even more tired" Gordon B Hinkley

Elder Hughes


Monday, August 11, 2014

E Changes | week 97

Hey guys!

Well it has been a crazy P Day! We got a call this morning from President Crapo and there were problems with a Zone Leader outside of the capital and we have Emergency changes. Elder G was sent to Chiqimula and I got a new companion today! Im sad Elder G and I have been doing great together. I love him so much! But I know that it is what the Lord wants. I am now training a new ZL Elder R from Honduras. He was just as suprised this morning when they called and told him about his changes.

But aside from that all is well haha! Im glad you guys are doing well. Im glad you talked to Erwin he told me that he found you and chatted for a while. I told him to look for you guys Haha. Erwin is so awesome he has helped us out so much here. He is the first person here that can really talk to you guys in English.

We had a good week! Some of our Investigators have been facing some opposition and problems but they are getting there. H is going to be baptized this week! Im so excited for him he was definetly led to the church in an improtant time in his life. Wendsday night he will be baptized.

We had some great lessons this week with G an investigator we have who has been progressing. He really wants to make changes in his life and is willing to learn and humble himself before God! We taught him the plan of salvation which really hit home. Its amazing how many people dont know what their purpose in life is.

We have a great Bishop here in Sion! Obispo Baltrons loves missionary work and is so funny! The culture here is that if we hit the goals we set he takes us out to pizza haha! We hit our goal last month and when we called him this morning about the E changes he left his job and took us to pizza hahaha. Its amazing how much the members here trust in the missionaries.

Its going to be a little different this week! New companion but Im excited. I told the Bishop today Im going to give it everything ive got for my last little bit here! 

I love this work and I just love being able to walk down the streets and teach those around me the true gospel of Jesus Christ. I have learned alot about repentance here in Guatemala. We all really have a need to repent. Its kind of like carrying a really heavy backpack. There are so many people who are burdened down by sin and the chains of addiction. Repentance is the only way to take the backpack off and rest in Christ. Christ atoned for each one of our sins but he has given us the oppourtunity to come unto him and take off our backpacks. I know that God wants to forgive us. Christ has opened the door we just have to walk through it. I personally know this is true. True sincere repentance of sin brings peace, and love. His grace is sufficient to heal us. Go to him.

I hope you all have a great week. Keep doing great things. Dont forget the small stuff!

Love 

Elder Hughes

Monday, August 4, 2014

HOLA! | week 96



Hey guys! 

Thanks for the email Mom! I loved your thoughts about the things that matter most. I think that is so important. I love what President Monson has told us that "Do not let a problem to be solved become more important than a person to be loved" As long as we keep life simple and with Christ as the center of everything we do things seem to work out. Thank you for your support and love throughout my whole mission. I cannot tell you how much I appreciate it.

I love the news update! And im glad you guys got a little rafting trip in. I always tell my companions about our rafting adventures. Tell Grandpa that I say hi! I am always praying for all of my grandparents and family.

We had a very normal week this week! I try and share things that I havent talked about before haha. We have been very busy getting people ready for Baptism. We were able to set 7 new baptismal dates this week! One of the people we found is named H. He is actually from California. We have been teaching him and has come to church the last couple weeks. He is 22 years old and is just soaking up everything that we teach him. He has been here this summer visiting family. He is going to be Baptized here before he heads home to the States. Hows that for a life changing summer vacation Haha. I want to go and see him when I get home!

We have been Juggling lots of investigators that are progressing. We had 14 investigators at Church on Sunday haha. So we have been running around making sure that everyone feels comfortable and welcome.

We have had the oppurtunity to teach alot about the plan of Salvation. As a missionary I have taught this lesson many many times but I do not get tired of it. Gods plan for us gives me direction and purpose in my life. Without this knowledge life doesnt have much meaning. We are all preparing to live with our father in Heaven. He loves us and has given us all the tools we need to return to live with him. Mom I think what you shared goes right along with this, Lets take advantage of the time we have and focus on the most important things in life.

I think Im going to make a list.

What is most important to me....?

-Loving and Serving God
-Family and Freinds
-Temple Marriage
-Learning both temporal and spiritual
-Following the Spirit
-Finding Joy in the journey

Well other news this week. I Got pretty sick on Thursday night. Im not sure what It was I think a virus. Hahaha Sometimes you just have to laugh. Long night and day on Friday but im getting better. This is only the second time ive gotten really sick in the mission. Been pretty blessed with health in the mission. But this is not helping me with my goal to not lose more weight hahahaha Im feeling a bit better now ;) 

We have Leadership Meeting tomorrow which should give us a little boost we need! I Love this work so much. I am working on enjoying every minute I have and as you say mom focusing on the most important parts of the mission! And that always involves the people. I love you all so much. i hope you know that. Thank you for all that you have done for me. I have been so blessed in my life.

Have a great week and fill everyday with the most important things.... that always includes Family scripture study, prayer, and home evening!

Love

Elder Hughes