It sounds like it has been another eventful week in the life of the Hughes family! Your trip to New York looks like it was amazing. I am so happy you guys got to have a real get away together. You don't get those often enough! I love to see your pictures. Not only do you both look so young, but you look so happy! That makes me happy! My thoughts were with each of you on Saturday on your anniversary and on Rilo's birthday. Thanks for sending me all the pictures!
As for the news about our ward being split :( To be completely honest it makes me real sad, just because I LOVE the Rocklin first ward. It is where I grew up pretty much my whole life. I have marvelous memories from my time there. I love and cherish all of those. BUT life is full of change. I have come to really learn what that is like out here as a missionary. Change is always a little bit hard, but I am always grateful for the new opportunities and excitement that it brings. It is a huge opportunity for us to grow, learn, and stretch ourselves. SO am excited/nervous with you this week as we all wait for the news! Whatever it is, it will be right.
We had a great week here this week. This is one of the first weeks here in Deming that we actually felt fully successful haha. It was great. We got a referral on Monday night to go see a recent convert that moved here from Pheonix who couldn't find the church here in Deming. She had been away from the church for 4 months or so, just because she couldn't find it. It was a little miracle that she found it again, and her two older daughters aren't baptized so we have started to teach them, and they came to church this week! It is exciting. All the stars are lining up. That happens alot in the Lord's work.
We started teaching a family here. I LOVE teaching families, and I wish I could have taught more of them here on my mission. They are the Z family. They are awesome. The parents are hilarious and the kids are really great as well. I don't think they understand all the way yet of why we are there (even though we explain it alot haha) but they are feeling the spirit, and we are so excited to keep teaching them.
We are helping an inactive man named A stop smoking right now, and we are reading the Book of Mormon with another inactive man alot as well.
The Branch here is doing Awesome! I love it. In the last couple months there has been a big change in the missionary spirit of the branch, and the members are helping us lots. All 4 of us missionaries just adore our little ramita. We had an amazing church service on Sunday, and we had a packed gospel principles class full of investigators, recent converts, and returning members. It is an exciting time.
I can't remember if I have told you about the S family. Us and the sisters have actually been teaching them together. They are 'eternigators' or people that have investigated the church for way to long haha. They are doing amazing right now. They are super ready for their baptism that is coming up in a couple weeks. They are so excited.
Life is good here. The work rolls forward. I am happy, healthy, and my obsession with mexican food is growing every day.
We have a busy week coming up, Elder P and I get to make the long trek to Tucson for Mission Leadership Conference, so we will be stocking up on ruffles, root beer, and some Elder Holland talks to get us there. :)
I have been thinking a bit about temples this week. Oh how grateful I am for temples. I love the temples of our church. It is one of my favorite things about our magnificent church. Did you know that the bible dictionary teaches us that the second most holy place in the world besides the temples are our homes (if we make them that way). Check out this new temple: http://www.mormonnewsroom.org/article/gilbert-arizona-temple-opens-for-visitors It is SO beautiful. And it is in my mission state ARIZONA!
I love each of you so very much. I think of you often. The gospel is so true. I hope you all remember that. The more we let it, it will bless our lives. Ironically, we are usually the ones that get in the way of those blessings. So let's get out of the way and recieve some blessings.
I love you all!
Until next week!
Elder Hughes