Good time in Nogales | week 28

HOLA FAMILIA!!!! (I feel like it is actually cool to use spanish in emails now because I actually get to use it in real life here)

You guys sounded like you have had a great week!! Happy Birthdays for two of my favorite people in the world. I love hearing about what you guys are all up to!! Congrats to Amy on the baby!!!! How exciting! That is awesome that Rilo is following in our lifeguard footsteps. I had a feeling he would work there too. It is a great job, he will love it. Congrats Rilo on passing the swim test for that.... It seems like yesterday that Tan and I were practically drowning trying to tread water with our hands out of the water haha. That is awesome Rilo on being involved in the best work in the world (missionary work). I love being a missionary. MOM, your 40! Now it is Dad's turn to tease you on this birthday! I thought about both you and zach alot this week. I love you all so much.

We had a great week of missionary work this week. I LOVE it here in Nogales. I wish I was a better writer and could express things better haha. On our P day on monday we went with our district to some insane abandoned mines here in Nogales. They were super cool. I felt like I was in The Goonies or something. It was way fun. I saw my first rattlesnake of my mission there. They blend in alot, one of the Elder's almost stepped on it. Also on monday I gave myself my own haircut. I have never done that before. I needed a haircut soooo bad, and we didn't have time to go get one, so I just used some clippers and shaved my head. I was cracking up the whole time, for some reason it was just so funny to me. It turned out pretty good, I was proud of myself.

As for more important things we had an awesome week here. We kept teaching I. This kid is so awesome. We set a baptismal date, he is getting baptized April 27!!!! He is so excited and so are all of his member friends that brought him into the gospel. I is one of those people where the light of Christ is really with him. I have been able to notice the 'light' that people have as a missionary alot more. I have met some people that have very dim lights. I truly has the light of Christ in his eyes. His friends were telling us that he love church so much that Ignacio is the one that is urging them all to be at church every Sunday. We are planning to teach him alot in the coming weeks so that he will be ready. We are teaching alot of his siblings as well.

Another tool we use in missionary work here is that we teach English class. I really like it. They usually end up teaching us Spanish as well. Alot of people here can't speak English. So we teach that every week.  There are some regulars that come every week that are really cool. We also play basketball every Thur. Tons of non members come and people have been taught and baptized because of it. I play, and get absolutely OWNED. hahaha. You guys would probably die laughing if you saw it. But I love to play. Even though I am the only short white kid there haha.

We had a zone training this week where I learned a TON. There are many moments as a missionary where I realize that I am just beginning to grasp how to truly be a good missionary. I have a long way to go, but the Lord doesn't ask if we are ready or able, he wants people that are willing who have the desire to learn and grow.

Thursday we had Mission Wide finding Day! Our whole mission went on splits and all 200+ missionaries spent all day finding. We all fasted and prayed to be led by the Lord to those he is preparing. I went on splits with Elder P. We were up in South Tucson (which is really really ghetto haha) It was alot of fun. I know Elder P from the MTC, we were in the same zone and are good friends. We had a great day. We tracted alot and contacted everyone we met. I truly know that the Lord leads his servants to those that he is preparing. We found a new investigator on the side of the road and taught him an entire lesson there. His name is N. This guy was insane haha. He is a former member of the Black Panthers and he was friends with Malcolm X, he also led the Black blood gang here in Tucson...... yeah crazy. BUT he has changed his life around alot. Missionaries had taught him before. He is truly an honest seeker of truth. We also got 7 referrals from one of Elder P's investigators. Mission Finding Day was a huge success. Fasting and Prayer work. Our mission found 124 new investigators in one day!! and 228 in one week!

Sunday was my first ever Sunday in Spanish, it was great. I understand almost everything that people say. The Sunday school class here is awesome, I have never laughed so hard in Sunday School. These people crack me up.

Here in our area. Elder W taught I!! We are really excited about him. He is reading the Book of Mormon and loves it. The Lord is blessing us here. We are working with alot of people. I love being a missionary.

This week I have thought alot about true conversion. We are all working towards being more like our savior. That is not a one day, one month, one year, or one decade process. It is truly an eternal process. I have felt that work in my life. Although I fall short every day, I do know one thing for sure. I know that the Savior lives and through him we can become better, try harder, and become better. I KNOW that he lives.

We get to go to the temple tomorrow! I am way pumped. It trumps Disneyland as the happiest place on earth.

I love getting letters from you Dad! You truly are my hero. I love you so much. I stand am so grateful for the example of true manhood that you are to me. I thank Heavenly Father every day that I get to call you Dad.

I love you guys so much. There is so much I wish I could express to you guys, so many experiences so little time. I think about you every day. I pray for each of you every day. Go and serve someone today. That is the cure to so many of our problems. I love you guys.

LOVE

Elder Hughes