week 40 | I have the most boring email titles ever, so I will just finish this sentence.

HELLLOOOOOOOOOO there family.

Wow. You guys had some pretty awesome adventures in the Hughes family this week. You guys sure know how to party hard. It reminds me of some of our vacation weeks of non stop fun. That is what is so awesome about California, is that we don't even have to travel far away from home. It looks like a blast. I LOVE hearing about it. I really do. I love to see all of your smiling faces. I love the Voges too. They are practically our family. I love them as well. Give them a big hug for me. Haha, I laughed as I imagined Z man hitting himself in the face with a paddle :) I brag about all of our vacations and adventures here all the time. I love you guys and am glad that you are all doing well. That is way exciting that you guys are going out to Utah. That will be great. Our family is getting so much older it blows me away. 

Well, as for this week. It was a pretty great week for us here. The Lord is pouring out blessings here. I have seen a change in myself and in the work here this week.

First of all, I got the amazing amazing news that one of my investigators from Duncan is getting baptized soon!!!!!!! Do you all remember E. He is getting baptized on July 20th. That brings sooooo much joy to my heart. I cannot even describe it. We are all working in this great work together. Elder R my MTC comp is actually serving in Duncan right now, so he is finishing off all of my unfinished work in Duncan. What a miracle this work is. I grew to love E so much, I am just sad I can't be there for his baptism. They are still teaching S as well.

As for us here in Nogales, we have had alot of success finding. I have learned that as we go out and try our very best the Lord blesses us. We tracted about 10 doors in an apartment complex and found 3 new investigators. I stand all amazed how sometimes the Lord lets us struggle for days and days and then in 30 minutes we get blessed. Another girl we found this week her name is J. She is the sister of an investigator that we haven't had alot of time to meet with. Her sister wasn't there, but J is truly searching and prepared for what we have in this gospel.

Another amazing experience we had this week. We were walking down the street and talked to this super old man named J. He is one of those people that you can just tell he has been through a really really hard life. We started talking to him, and it turned into a very powerful lesson. He is a lost soul, and I am sure that we were led to him. He started crying and telling us about the burdens in his life. I was able to testify to him of Christ's love and the peace of the gospel. There is nothing more that I love doing than that. He was one of those people who's eyes held such burdens and pain. I can't really describe it. He took me by the hands and told me to never stop doing what I am doing now. He told us over and over again to never give up. He pleaded with us " why has no one ever taken me to your church." He cried and pleaded that over and over. It was really emotional. We just kept telling him that we are here today to do just that. We set up a member to go pick him up for church on Sun. but he wasn't home. I am looking forward to continuing to work with him.

For District Meeting this week we made homemade ice cream. It was delicious. I had to get creative and make it an object lesson into how we receive revelation through the Book of Mormon. Challenge accepted. It went really well. For some reason there is an ice cream maker in our apt. 

The Fourth of July was good here in Nogales. Honestly holidays are the worst days for missionary work. I really am not a big fan of holidays out here. No one is home and no one wants to talk to you haha. We did go down to the big city event and make some chalk mormon.org ads that were pretty cool. Alot of people walked over them and read them. You never know when you are going to get a contact. On last P day we were in the bathroom at walmart and this guy from mexico asked us if we were mormon and we of course said yes. We talked to him and got a referral to send the Mexico missionaries to his house. You never know where you will share the gospel haha. We had a fourth of july bbq at the White's house with all the missionaries. It was way fun. The Whites are some of my favorite members I have met. They are awesome. They live about 4 apts down from us, so they are like me and Elder G's family. They are awesome. Then all the missionaries had to go in early, and so we watched a church movie to end the night. The weirdest part of all was when I remembered my last 4th of July. I can't believe time has flown that fast. It is crazy. I am sure the next year will be ever faster and it scares me.

We helped a member family build a goat shed this week. Good fun.

OH the monsoons here are awesome. It is quite amazing. They come in every afternoon and the lightning and thunder are awesome. We miss out on that stuff in California ;)

The biggest miracle of the week was R. I love this man so much. He has continued to astound us this week. He is doing so well. I am sure he will be baptized. We teach him every day and every day it just gets better. The spirit is so strong. He truly GETS the book of mormon and the restoration like no other person I have met. I have never loved teaching someone as much as I love teaching R. I wish I could adequately describe what it is like. A member of the 70 Elder De Ollas came to our branch this week. He was amazing, and R got to meet him. I got to meet him to, he is a man of God. He told us the brethren think that the church will have 100,000 missionaries soon. What a miracle.

Last night's lesson with R was something that I will never forget. We decided to watch the Joseph Smith Prophet of the Restoration movie. It was an inspired move. Of course the movie was amazing. I feel the spirit every single time I watch it. At the end we prayed and just as we were about to leave, Roger had one question. He said "Has there ever been a church that has been persecuted as much as this one." We thought about it, and humbly answered no. Then Elder G said "Well, there has been one other. It was the church of Jesus Christ when he was on the earth." Then R said two words that I will never forget. "Same church." I almost passed out I was so happy. What a miracle. I will never forget it. 

I am excited for this coming week. It is looking great. I know that when we are on the Lord's errand we are able to receive his help.

It truly is the same church. I know that. I know it with all of my heart. I can say that without one doubt. How I love this gospel. This work has continued to teach me more than I can express in words. It truly is inexpressible. I love this gospel and I know that the book of mormon is true. I have felt the Lord walk with us here. We are seeing his miracles. I have learned to pray like I never could have ever imagined I could pray. Serving the Lord is the best choice I have ever made. I love this work. I love all of you. I think of you often. I truly do feel of your prayers. I don't believe that we chose you mom and dad as our parents. I believe that our loving heavenly father chose you for us. I really believe that. I love you all. Stay firm in the faith. Read the scriptures and pray like you mean it. It has worked for me, and it will work for all that try it.

I love you all. Until next week ;)

LOVE 

Elder Hughes

week 39 | Happy Early Fourth of July

HELLO THERE FAMILIA!

 

It sounds like you guys are in the midst of the usual Hughes summer adventures. It has been hot here in Arizona as well if that make you feel any better! How crazy Sarina got married this week. That is so exciting. We are now entering the wedding phase of life where that all begins haha. I wish that I could have been there to celebrate and to go to the sealing. I am glad that it all went great. Sounds like the normal summer life. Good times sitting on the lazy river in the insane heat haha. Now try it in church clothes and you have missionary work :) Z man of course is living it up. He sure knows how to do that. That is awesome that they are going to Wente! I love that place. Good memories there. Are you going with them to scout camp dad? 

 

I love hearing about all of the continued Hughes family adventures. You all sound like you are doing great!

 

Well it has been a rollercoaster of emotions this week in Nogales. As I was reflecting back on the week I marveled at the highs and the lows that we faced, but things are moving forward.

 

To start off on P day this last week 6 of us Elders walked around Nogales for the day. We were in McDonalds which has a really good view of the border. It is really close. We were all just eating and talking and we looked out the window and saw people climbing over the giant iron fence haha. It was crazy. I know people do that all the time here, but it was crazy because we were just watching it all happen right in front of us haha. There are definitely some really interesting social/political things here in Nogales haha. It has given me alot of perspective on alot of those issues that our nation faces.

 

ANYWAY, as for the work it was a week of miracles and of trials as well. One of our miracles this week was we found this girl named M. Our appt dropped so we started contacting all of the neighbors of one of our investigators. M came out and talked to us. She is 17 and already has 2 kids and is desperately searching for peace in her life. That is what is so awesome about this restored gospel is that we find TRUE peace when we use it, and when we draw nearer to the savior. I have felt that peace over and over again. So we are going to continue working with her. She has a baptismal date for the 27 of July. That is kind of the test of how we weed out who is truly interested. Baptismal dates do that for us.

 

R was also the miracle this week. He has finally caught fire and truly started to make real progress. We had some amazing lessons with him this week. We had one lesson with a member here Sis. Martin. She has taught seminary for 28 years. So lets just say she really knows what she is talking about haha. It was an amazing lesson. Through the spirit we have been able to resolve many of his concerns. I had a really interesting experience with following the spirit when we were teaching him. That little voice in my head told me to pick up a book about Joseph Smith that Sis. Martin had on the table next to the couch. I did and flipped through it and put it back down. Then the process happened again. I felt like I needed to pick it up again. Then I landed on a specific story about Joseph Smith, but I didn't feel like I should share it yet. That book sat on my lap for the whole lesson and I didn't even know why I needed to have it. Then at the end, there was a really good opportunity to share this story. It ended up being exactly what he needed. He was really affected by it. It never ceases to amaze me that if we listen the Holy Ghost will give us exactly what we need to say and do.

 

O is doing great. The problem is that we can never find him at home. We go to his house every day and it never seemed to work out. He is so prepared and so ready. He is so open to the feelings of the spirit and to truth. His mom C is really struggling. We were able to talk to here a couple times this week. She is having some big depression problems and it is leading her to some really bad paths. I really know that we were put in their path for a reason. We aren't going to stop trying. With some people we would move on, but not with them. We are praying that this week we will be able to have alot more contact with them.

 

One of the biggest trials this week was that Iv dropped us. We are really confused and don't really know why. He was so prepared, so open, reading the Book of Mormon a ton. All of the lessons we had with him were awesome. It was kind of a hard one for us to take. It reminded me of the M's when we lost them. When I love these people so much and I know what they are missing out on, it is hard to see that happen. BUT the work goes on. We hope we were able to plant some seeds.

 

The Monsoon season started lat night!!! FINALLY!!! It basically means there are amazing thunderstorms every afternoon and night. It is awesome. It is so nice to see some rain. I don't think I had seen rain since January haha.

 

It was Elder G's 20 birthday this week (yes he is older than me haha) and we celebrated at some members houses which was fun.

 

I have learned so much this week. I don't have nearly enough time to express it all. I have had moments this week where I have felt like Alma in Ammonihaha (Alma ch 8) where the people just don't listen, and we feel sorrow as missionaries to feel that. Never before have I been able to relate to that story like I can now. I have truly felt a glimpse of what that feels like. The awesome thing is that an angel appears to him and tells him to go back and try again!!! That he has so much to rejoice about because he is doing all that the Lord has asked of him.

 

I love this work even when it is hard, and I am so excited for what this next week holds. I have learned alot about how sometimes we have to try things a little different and change ourselves if we want our outcomes to change. I love you guys so much. I love our family and the strength that we have there. I have witnessed some not so strong families here. I have seen some torn apart families. I know that the gospel truly blesses families. I thank Heavenly Father every day that he sent me to yours. Happy Fourth of July!!!! I love you all

 

LOVE

 

Elder Hughes

week 38 | Hello there family!

Hola Familia!!

I am still here in Nogales! YAY. Elder G and I are staying here for another 6 weeks. I am so glad.

What an awesome time it is to be a missionary!!!!! Holy moly. The broadcast on Sunday was so awesome. I was so overcome with the spirit. The Lord is truly hastening his work all over the world. There is no more exciting time to serve as a missionary for the Lord's true church. I am glad you guys got to catch some of the conference. I highly recommend finishing it. It is awesome.

As for what I think about some of the new changes. I think it is awesome. It is going to add an entire new dimension into the work of the Lord. It is going to be a HUGE tool for us, especially here in the United States. It will bring some interesting new challenges as well. It sounds like we will possibly be getting Ipads, which would be awesome. No more paper area books YAY! It all will get phased in over time. President Killpack said that our mission is very prepared for the changes so we should be getting them sooner rather than later. I am way excited.

It sounds like you all are doing great. I love to hear about what you are doing even if it is normal :)

I know how it feels like for you mom. I feel the same way at times. Sometimes I can't believe it has been so long since I have seen you guys. It has been so fast, weeks are flying by for me here. I miss you all. I think about you each of you every day. I talk about you all the time too. Ask any of my companions and they would all tell you that I am always talking about you guys. I love you all so much.\

As for the work here this week. It has been another interesting week. All of the weeks are starting to blend in my head. I have learned a TON this week about patience. I have felt the spirit teaching me over and over again the last couple days about patience. Many times we want to see the fruits of our labors right away. Sometimes it feels like we do all that we can over and over again and nothing happens. The spirit has come in and taught me alot recently about the 'big picture' of missionary work. No effort is ever wasted or unnoticed. I have felt the prompting over and over that I need to just 'be patient'. I am grateful for the gift of the Holy Ghost that has the ability to teach us perfectly if we are willing to let it in.

R, our investigator is continuing to do better and better. We see him almost every day. We have had some amazing lessons with him this week. We have been going through all of the commandments and continuing to focus on the restoration and how we gain a testimony of it. He is so open to the spirit and to the truths of the gospel. It is awesome. We have become his best friends. He calls us his brothers. I love it. He faces many challenges as well. Sometimes I am amazed that the Lord trusts us to help people with their very complicated struggles in life. The Holy Ghost always helps us with what to say.

Another cool experience this week was with O. He is impossible to find sometimes, but when we do we always have amazing experiences. We taught him a really quick lesson on the Book of Mormon. As we were reading from Moroni 10;3-5 he felt the spirit so strong. We literally watched someone gain their testimony right in front of our eyes. There is no cooler thing to see in the whole world.

All of the missionaries of the branch and ward here put on a fireside this week called The Gospel Blesses Families. It was a great success. None of our investigators came, BUT some of the members brought their friends who we are going to start teaching this week. 

There are many other people we are working with. This week we are going to go through and find who is REALLY committed to progressing as investigators. That is sometimes a problem here, and sometimes it is hard to let people go. That is something I am bad at haha. I just feel bad!!!! But anyway, we are really going to focus on that this week. 

Nogales is SOO ready to baptize this transfer. I can feel it. I love this work. 

Thank you for your support and words of wisdom. I love you guys so much. Thank you for all that you have done for me.

Did you guys get my package I sent you?! I hope it didn't get lost in the mail.

Our mission has taken upon itself a new catchphrase that I really like. It applies to all of us. It goes: "Win the Day, then Win the Week" Truly each day I do my best to win the day. To do all that I can to bring souls closer to Christ. There is no better work.

I love you all 

Elder Hughes

week 37 | Happy Late Father's Day!

Gooooooooooooood Morning Familia!!!

It is so good to hear from you guys. It is my favorite part of P day by far. I love you guys!!! It sounds like you had a fun week at girls camp!! I loved the pictures haha. So funny. I love it. It sounds like you guys are settling in to Summer! I'm sure that you guys are excited to enjoy some summer relaxation! I like hearing that everything is normal. After this last April I like when there isn't any big news. Happy Father's day Dad!!!!! I thought of you lots yesterday! Did you get my package and letter? 

It has been an interesting week here in Nogales. It was one of those weeks that was just TOUGH. Nothing seemed to be working out for us. Sometimes that is the way it goes. The interesting thing about it is that these types of weeks are where we tend to learn the most. I have seen that for myself. I have learned alot this week about how the Lord leads and guides this work and the things I need to do to be a better missionary.

On Tuesday and Wednesday of this week we had the worst luck haha. Almost every single lesson we planned and set up cancelled. It was crazy. On wednesday night we ended up finding 2 new investigators! It was great. Sometimes I think the Lord tests us to see if we will make it through the whole day, and then he leads us where we need to go. 

The work moves forward here in Nogales. We have been racking our brains trying to figure out how to help some of our investigators progress. I have come to know so much more about how conversion works and our part in that process as missionaries. 

We taught our investigator H this week. He is trying to overcome alot of problems in his life. It is amazing to me to see how the spirit helps people open up and see what God wants for them.

I went on exchanges this week in South Nogales with Elder H and Elder M. They are both awesome, and we had a great day. I love being able to go on exchanges as a DL and help others with their challenges in their own area. We had an interesting experience with one of their investigators who is this intense 96 year old lady that speaks insanely fast spanish. She was awesome haha. She is probably the most energetic and vibrant 96 yr old I will ever meet again.

We are still working with R every day. He is slowly starting to make some really good progress. The spirit always comes in and helps us know exactly what to say. It is amazing to watch. With R like with no other person we get a front row seat to watching the spirit work on someone. It is like no other experience I have ever seen. We are hoping to continue the progress with him.

We also taught a guy named E this week. It was one of the most powerful first lessons I have ever had. The spirit was so strong. We helped him move this week as well. The bummer is that he is moving to some other missionaries area :( SO we are going to have a pass of lesson and pass him off to them. I am so excited about him.

On Sunday we took I to stake conference. It was awesome. He loved it. He got to meet President Killpack and the member of the 70 Elder Snow as well. It was great. I love I so much. I have no doubt in my mind that he will be baptized. The spirit was so strong at stake conference. It was great. He told us that some of the things that were said were direct answers to his prayers. HOW AWESOME IS THAT. It blows me away sometimes how the spirit works. He is going to a business trip for the next week and a half.... which is lame, but we are so excited about his future. We are going to have to re set his baptismal date. I love teaching him.

This week I have learned alot. I have learned so much about where I need to step up as a missionary. I love this gospel. I love the Book of Mormon. I have been reading it alot his week. I LOVE THAT BOOK. I read it every day and I feel the spirit every time. What a blessing it is to have it in our lives. We must read it. It gives light and direction to all aspects of our lives.

I am excited for this coming week. All of the missionaries have planned a special fireside and dinner on Friday that we are really excited about. I am excited about the future here. I am so grateful for every day the Lord gives me to serve him in his work. This is the last week of the transfer!! It's crazy how fast it went. I highly doubt that I will be transferred, but I have been surprised before. We find out on Sunday. I want to stay here in Nogales. My work here is not done!!!! I love this place. OH by the way you guys should go watch the worldwide missionary broadcast on this coming Sunday. It is gonna be huge. This is the greatest work in the world, and we are ALL a part of it.

I love you guys so much. Thank you for your love and support. I think of you often.

LOVE

Elder Hughes

week 36 | Happy Summah Time

Hey Family!!!

Happy Monday again. What awesome news from the homefront. Jordan and Scottie: same mission same day!!!! HOW AWESOME. Holy cow, that is crazy. The Lord puts us right where we need to be. Give them both a big hi five for me and tell them I am SO pumped for them.

Yay for school being out. That is really exciting! As you and Dad always told me when you get older and are in the real world it doesn't have the same significance haha. As a missionary it is all the same to me! 

If it makes you feel any better it is quite toasty here in Nogales as well. I have finally now started to get accustomed to sweating my brains out in church clothes. To me it is just normal now.

You are going to girls camp this week!!! Have FUN! I know that it will mean alot to the girls to have you there. I think that you are pretty awesome so.... they are pretty lucky to have you as their leader. One cool way I have seen how to make those experiences awesome is to go in prayerfully looking for the reason why the Lord has us serving specific people. I know there are no coincidences in life and especially not in the church. You are going to girls camp to strengthen someone that needs you. I have had to apply the same principles here :)

I like normal as well. Although as a missionary nothing is ever normal. 

We had a really good week. Finally we are starting to see our investigators start to progress. It sometimes feels like a never ending battle, but the Lord is blessing us. We had alot of meetings this week in Tucson. We had a trainer meeting and a district leader meeting as well. Both were awesome. I learned a TON. Especially at the DL meeting. President and Sister Killpack taught us, and it was so great. It was great to really learn by the spirit how I need to step up as a missionary and be the leader that the Lord needs. Sis Killpack taught and amazing training on rising to our full potential. Sometimes we are all satisfied with something that isn't our best. The Lord has so much more in store for us than we ever thought possible. I have seen that. He shapes us in ways that we never would have imagined. It is quite a process. I was uplifted and inspired alot through the words of many others this week.

As for the work. We are still working alot with I. We had another astounding lesson with him this week. He is reading a chapter of the BOM and the bible every night. He also discovered the epicness of the church's videos and general authorities. Could it get any better than that? We had a powerful lesson with him this week on the plan of salvation. He literally teaches us more than we teach him. The Lord has prepared him so much. I literally get giddy like a little kid when we go to teach him. He was on vacation again this weekend so he didn't make it to church.... BUT we are going to make that happen this week. We have stake conference this weekend and a member of the 70 is coming, so it should be awesome. We are still planning on his baptism on the 29th.

R, we also have taught alot this week. He is the biggest puzzle of an investigator that I have ever had. We have really amazing moments where the spirit guides us alot, and then there are moments when he gets defensive and everything falls apart. The miracle is that the spirit always comes in and saves the day. Words really do come into our mouths. I have never experienced that more with someone than with him.

We are teaching a bunch of people in one family. We have kind of found them all seperately but they are all in the same family. C, her son O, and her two brothers O and E. They are all really cool. E came to church on Sunday (thank goodness) and we taught him there. He has just recovered from a really bad drug addiction, and has started a whole new life. Little does he know it is going to get even better with the gospel. I love how the gospel has the power to do that. It literally takes us and changes us in ways that we never could have imagined. We feel joy that cannot be described. I sometimes wish I could just GET that feeling into people, but the Lord doesn't work that way. He waits for us to open up. We are really pumped to keep teaching all of them. E is hilarious and he loved church so much that he said that he is going to force all of his family to come to next week. We like the sound of that haha.

There are many other people we are continuing to work on. Yes we are staying super busy. Just the way I like it.

I went on splits with the ZL's here in Nogales this week. It was great. I learn so much from the missionaries around me. We all have something to learn from everyone. I went with Elder W. He is an awesome guy, we have become good friends here as well.

You are exactly right on feeling the spirit. We have to take a step back and find a quiet place to listen. I have seen that more than ever here.

I have been reflecting alot this week about submitting our will to the Lord. That is what life is all about. That is when we receive power. When we look outward to others and think less about ourselves the Lord comes in and blesses us. He gives us power to help others that we never thought possible. I have realized that more than every. The last week or two I have tried to step up my game as a missionary. It is easy to flatten out and get caught up in all the things that are going on. The Lord has blessed us so much here. 

Dad I want to say an early Happy Father's day. You are the best dad in the world. I am the man I am today because of your example of true fatherhood. I cannot express how grateful I am for you.

The work goes on. There is nothing else I would rather be doing than this. I fall short all the time, but I am grateful that the Lord can use me even if I am weak. The same principle applies to all of us. I love you all. I miss you and think about you often. I love this work, and I love you. I feel like the writers of the Book of Mormon who said that they could only write a hundredth part of what happened and what they felt and witnessed. That is how these emails are. Only about a thousandth part of what I have learned can be expressed here. Read 3 nephi this week. I am loving reading it right now.

I love you all so much.

Elder Hughes

It looks like they are having a great time!

week 35 | 8 months down!

Hola Family!!

It sounds like all is well in good old Rocklin!!! Everything sounds about normal :) I think about you all often as well. There is so much that reminds me of all of you. Mom, I am jealous about you going to see Les Mis again :) I LOVE that play. It not only is awesome but it teaches us so much. It teaches us so much about redemption and change. That is really what life is all about. I have seen it in my own life and in the life of those that I have taught here. Good old Sunsplash! That will be a fun summer job for you Rilo, enjoy it!! Z man is finishing up 7th grade. How exciting. I remember those days like they were yesterday :) That's awesome about Nathan's mission call!!!! I truly know that the Lord sends us exactly where we need to go. Similarly, I have had some people express to me that it must be lame to serve in such a normal place like Arizona. I truly have never seen it that way. The work of the Lord is really the same in all parts of the world. The joy and struggles of missionary work are present in all parts of the world. The Lord needs his servants in all places, and an apostle of the Lord has a revelatory experience when assigning each call, that knowledge is so important.

I miss your BBQ Ribs dad :( 

I hit my 8 MONTH MARK TODAY!!!! That is 1/3 of my mission. It is insane to think about. It has flown by. I literally cannot believe it.

Summer has finally settled in here in the desert. It is HOT. Thankfully Nogales is cooler than Tucson :)

I ran into my first group of illegals this week haha. We ride our bikes through a tunnel (under an overpass) to get to church. I always wondered when I would see some people in there. This week we did. They got really scared of us for a second. They thought we were the Border Patrol. It was kind of funny, we talked to them for a min, and gave them our water bottles. It is a very interesting social dynamic here.

As for the work here in Nogales, I feel like a broken record haha. The work has been busy and full of little miracles as always. We are doing everything we can to help these people progress. Sometimes it feels like an impossible task, there are setbacks and frustrations every week, BUT over and over again I have seen how the Lord is with us and helps us. This is HIS work. It is not ours.

I have grown to love the people we are teaching so much. It kills me sometimes when they have a hard time seeing and feeling how the Lord wants to help them. 

R, one of our investigators is still doing ok. We met with him almost every day this week. He loves Elder G and I and we have been able to teach him alot. He understands so much and he has alot of faith. The big puzzle is trying to help him to use his faith to find his own answer. He is facing lots of crazy things in life, and I think that he is afraid that God will give him an answer that he doesn't want. We are going to keep pressing forward with helping him. We are going to switch things up this week and try some different approaches. 

I taught District meeting this week on following the promptings of the Spirit. This is SO important. There is always ways we can improve in this area as missionaries. I have come to learn how it truly is a still small voice. The slightest distractions can stray us from his voice. Many times he leads us without us even knowing.

I went on an exchange this week with the other Elders in my district. Elder S came to our area. Elder S is probably one of the funniest people I have ever met. We had an awesome exchange. He is an amazing teacher and is great at spanish. We had some really cool experiences on Thur. We picked a street to tract, and it turned out to be exactly the place we needed to go. It amazes me every day how the Lord puts us in the right place at the right time. About 5 doors in we met this woman who eventually told us that she was baptized into our church a LONG time ago, but that she had strayed far away. She truly was a lost sheep. She happened to be at her elderly father's house helping him out that day. It was one of the most emotional doorstep lessons I have ever had. She opened up about all the things that she was facing in life. I could see in her, that she was lost in this world. It is amazing to me how we can love someone that we don't know so fast. Elder S asked her what she remembered about how she felt at her baptism. All she said was on word: Hope. How true that is. We testified and taught her about how that hope can be reclaimed. That is the miracle about the gospel. We can return to the hope we have lost. She lives in Tucson, and so we set her up with the right information of how to get back involved in the church there. What a miracle! We were able to tell her as we left that we truly know that we were meant to talk to her that day. She said that she needed us at this time. The Lord truly guides our steps, we have to be willing and worthy to be his instrument.

Elder S and I also taught I again this week. It was quite an experience teaching him. I have NEVER met someone who is more prepared to receive this gospel than him. Everything that came out of his mouth was straight our of Preach my Gospel. I think my jaw hit the floor. We set up a plan with him about how he is going to find an answer, HIS answer about this church. We set a baptismal date with him for the 29th of June. One story that he told us was that 2 weeks before he met his friend S at a work conference (who told him all about the church) he felt lost in this world. He didn't know where to go. He told us that when Christ came to the earth, he truly revolutionized and changed the world. He prayed that day that Christ would come into his life and change his life. Not a coincidence that 2 weeks later he met S. We invited him to church and thought for sure that he would come. On Sun. he unfortunately didn't. Then we got a text from S who said he is really struggling. Those are the worst texts in the world to get. We are going to go over tonight and check on him. I still know that he will be baptized. I can feel it. We will find out more tonight.

The rest of the work is going well. We are teaching lots which is wonderful. C was sick this week, but we have alot of things set up for her this week as well. The work rolls on! We have lots of meetings in Tucson this coming week, so we have to plan really well with the time we do have. I have a trainer meeting on tue and a district leader meeting on fri.

In church this week, I smiled alot. This gospel is such a joyful message. Even if our investigators don't come to church, or life is tough, or things don't go exactly how we planned, we have so much to be joyful about!! We should be the happiest people in the world.

I have been reflecting alot in this last week about how much I have learned. I cannot express in words how much the Lord has taught me here in just the last month. I have been stretched and pushed past as a follower of Christ past things that I never could have imagined. Life has a way of doing that. That is why we are here. There is so much about missionary work that is not sure, but I have come to see that as long as the Lord is leading us, the right things will happen. I have not had as much success so far as I would like to see, but I have always felt like I have given it my all. I have received confirmation over and over again that the Lord is pleased when we just do our best, and keep trying. I know that is the same for all of us. I love you all so much. The way that I have made it here is because of each of you that are reading this. I cannot express how grateful I am for you. I am doing well. I never want to get transferred from here :) The work is so good here. I love you all so much. Until next Monday!

LOVE

your son, brother, friend.

Elder Hughes

I need to give a shout out to Lia Savage. My most faithful letter writer on my mission so far. Give her tons of hi fives for me.

week 34 | Happy Late Memorial day from Nogales!!!!!

Hola Familia!!!!

I am coming to ya a day late. No libraries were open yesterday so we couldn't email.

First of all you guys all look great. I loved all the pictures. I love our last minute Hughes family adventure vacations. It cracks me up that seriously all of our favorite vacations are the ones we plan the day before we go haha. It looks like a blast. I can't wait to go when we all get back! Congrats Grandpa Val! At least if you had to mess up your shoulder you did it WINNING a tournament. How epic. 

I love you guys. There is nothing that defines our family more than Giants games and the Cali coast. 

The work is moving forward here in Nogales. We have been crazy busy here. Everyday we have about 10 hours more of things we need to do than the actual time that we have. I have learned alot of things about prioritizing here on my mission. 

I want to say one thing that my basketball skills have improved a ton. We play all the time on P day and I actually feel like a contributing member of a team now. :)

On tue. we had a cool experience. An inactive family in the branch here signed up to feed the missionaries, so the 5 Nogales Elders went over and tue and we had an awesome meal. The Lord truly prompted them to sign up to feed us this week. Of that I am sure. They were baptized a couple of years ago and have since fallen away from the church. They are truly struggling. They are facing many hard things and they had some very tough questions for us. I am so grateful for the spirit that helps us to always know what to say. Elder S and I taught the dinner message and it quickly turned very intense. This family wanted answers. We were able to direct them to the source of all answers our Savior. He has the power to bind up every broken heart. I love serving Inactive families. Many times they need to be rescued just as much as some of our investigators. 

I ran for Heidi this week. I thought of her alot. I am REALLY out of shape. She would probably be laughing at me haha. I felt her with me and I am grateful for a way to remember her. I love this tradition.

I ate some amazing carne asada this week. I love the food here.

We had zone conference on thur this week. I love the chance to go and get spiritually recharged. President Killpack's final training to us was very powerful. I am so grateful for the spirit that can come in and truly teach us of the things that we need to know and feel. I felt that on Thursday. This gospel is a 'you can do this' gospel. It is full of hope. I love that about this restored church. Sometimes things are hard here, mostly because we want to help people progress and do all we can, and it feels like we hit dead ends. I am so grateful for the promptings of the spirit that tell me I CAN do this. 

Later on Thur we helped a couple families move. It was one of those nights where we were all really tired (because we had to get up super early in the morning to go to zone conference) so naturally everything was also hilarius. The 5 of us Nogales Elders were crying we were all laughing so hard. I have no idea why. Missionary work is a blast.

2 Investigators I want to talk about this week. 

One is C. She and her son we had an amazing lesson with. We were able to teach them clearly and the spirit was strong. C started saying 'I have never felt this way before' and 'this makes me want to act.' This was music to our ears. I have truly seen over and over again how the spirit is the true teacher. We are just the messengers of that spirit. We are excited for C. 

R is another investigator that we have that we have had amazing experiences with this week. He is a true seeker of truth. He really want to know of the truth. Last night we had one of the most direct and powerful lessons that I have had as a missionary. He brought forward a bunch of beliefs that are different from our doctrines. Using the scriptures and thanks to the spirit after only 20 minutes and 10 scriptures he truly understood and agreed with all that we taught. He prayed to know last night to truly know if these things are true. We are going back today to follow up on his prayer. It is like Christmas morning for us to go back today. I prayed so hard for him last night.

The rest of this week we have continued to work with many people. We have faced many obstacles and we have had to push through many frustrations. I know that the Lord has blessed us. Many of the people we are teaching are SO close to progressing!! With faith we can do it.

I sang in church this week on Sunday! It went well. I sang my favorite 'I know that my redeemer lives' :) Once in english and another time in Spanish.

I love you guys so much. Thank you for your emails and love. You are all such wonderful examples to me. 

LOVE 

Elder Hughes

PS I can totally see you guys (mom and dad) serving as office missionaries for a mission one day. (just sayin)