Your last email from your 19 your old son!! (don't worry I think the 20 yr old version still emails too) | week 51

Hola Familia!

Como estan?!

I hope you guys are all doing well. What a week it has been here. We have seen many miracles, and the work continues to roll forward! I feel like every single week the time just flies faster and faster. I have truly learned that as we lose ourselves in this work the Lord opens doors that we could never have imagined. Elder P and I had an awesome week. It takes a bit of time to get settled in, but we saw so many miracles this week. I am really really excited about this transfer. We have seen the miracles that come through faith and opening our mouths. Thursday was a day full of miracles. That morning we had prayed to know where we should go to find someone who was prepared for the gospel. In missionary lingo it is called an appt with the Lord. Each of us pray and then we pick 3 streets, and then whatever streets we pick that are the same we go and knock doors on. We both picked the same street Melody st. and we went to go find on that street. The very first person we talked to was this guy named Is. It was so awesome. He immediately invited us inside (which is pretty rare haha). He is a 20 year old guy, and he happened to be studying the scriptures when we he saw us walk by. He is looking for a church to go to. It was such a miracle. We then proceeded to have such an amazing lesson. One of the most powerful lessons that I have had on my mission so far. The spirit was so strong, and he really felt it. He kept describing it to us. There is truly nothing better than that. It was the start of many miracles that day. We also found a family to teach, they are also "looking for a church." Those are magic words for us to hear. Then later that night we taught R. It so happened that her daughter Juliana just got out of jail that day. It was so awesome getting to teach her. It was a lesson I will never forget. She was so emotional, she has been through so much in her life. We were able to teach her simply about repentance and about the wonderful opportunities that Christ's atonement gives us. He truly gives us the chance to start again, to start new, and to leave all the things in our past behind. It was a lesson that I really have a hard time describing. We are continuing to work with R. She is SO CLOSE! We go and see her everyday. I really wish you guys could meet her. She is huge example to me. I cannot even describe the trials that she faces. We were able to have so many amazing lessons with her this week. Just last night we watched the Restoration movie. Afterward instead of us teaching, she bore her testimony to us about the truthfulness of this gospel and of the restoration! What a miracle it is to see that. There is truly nothing better.

We are pressing forward with alot of new goals as a district here. The branch that we cover needs lots of help, and we have united alot more as a district to help this branch accomplish it's goals. We have set some pretty awesome goals. One of them is that we are going to contact 15 people a day. Which has made us go out of our way to talk to every single person we pass. It has been a huge blessing. We have made it into a kind of a competition, and we CANNOT let the sisters beat us, we are tired of that haha. It has been amazing to be part of helping our branch and district come together. We have some amazing missionaries here.

I was thinking I need to tell you guys about some of the awesome just cultural things here. What is really funny about South Tucson is that it is literally the exact blend of American and Mexican cultures together. I didn't really understand the term spanglish until I got here. People literally use both languages simultaneously. They use about half english and half spanish in many of their sentences. It is really hilarius sometimes. We all about died laughing the other day as the super mexican sister who fed us dinner introduced dessert as "cakey". It is really bizzare sometimes haha. One thing I love about the people here is that they all love to laugh. We had an FHE with the branch this week and we played one really simple game, and they thought it was the funniest thing ever. Then we laughed so hard because they thought it was so funny.

The Lord has blessed us alot. What an opportunity and a miracle it is to be part of this work. I really try and cherish every day. It goes by so fast. I cannot believe that I have almost been out for a year. It has truly been the most challenging and the most rewarding year of my life. I wouldn't trade it for anything. I cannot really but into words all of the things that I have learned. I am so excited for a new year. I have been reflecting alot as I have come up on my birthday on my life. I cannot believe that it has gone so quickly. I owe so much to each of you. Your love and teaching has made me who I am. I am so proud to call you mom and dad and brothers. I miss you guys so much, but know that I am doing well. I know that this is where I am supposed to be at this time. Thank you for your love. Always remember the Savior. I have learned here that he is truly the source of all that is good in the world. He is truly the Light of the World. The closer we come to him, is in direct relationship to our ultimate happiness.

I love you guys so much!!!!!

EAT A BUNCH OF CAKE FOR ME! 

LOVE

Elder Hughes