Happy Fall from Arizona | week 100

A quote I recently found :) "Courage isn't always grandiose. Sometimes courage is the little voice at the end of the day that says, 'I'll try again tomorrow." -Thomas S. Monson

Hey there family!

Happy Fall to you! I know how much you love fall. It really doesn't feel like fall here, it is still over 100 every day :) It sounds like all is well! have a great holiday today! 

We have been very busy and very blessed this week. Time is flying by. I can hardly believe it. I told my companion today that I am now entering shock and disbelief stage at only having 6 weeks left to serve. I intend to make the most of every single moment.

We had many cool experiences with the wonderful people we are teaching this week. I love serving at the institute! It is a place of great goodness for all of us young single adults. Non members are naturally attracted to the blessings that we have there. 

A is doing wonderfully! He is progressing well to his baptism this month. I really wish you guys could meet him, he is so awesome. Teaching him has been another reminder to me of the reality of my call. I have felt that I needed to come here to teach him. Our area hasn't had a spanish missionary in it for a year or more, and I happen to get here when he comes. He just loves to learn about the gospel, and he has great friends here that support him. He is going to do wonderful things in his life, and he will be a great servant of the church. He has already expressed a desire to serve a mission. I have been honored to have the chance to teach him.

Also this week we started teaching a guy named S. He is a Navajo and it has been quite an experience teaching him. Native Americans are tricky to teach, they are hard to crack, it is really hard to tell what they are thinking and feeling. I LOVE teaching them about the Book of Mormon. It is so powerful for me to think about sharing with them a book that was written for them and their people. Prophecies are fulfilled in the Book of Mormon every single time we share it with them. S is a great kid, he is full of light and he is anxious to learn.

Our investigator J also is doing great. She also has been soaking up the gospel. We face alot of challenges with our investigator's families here in YSA wards. It is our #1 obstacle. Many parents of these good people are not happy to hear that their kids are learning about the restored gospel. We couldn't figure out why J wasn't praying about the Book of Mormon, so we finally asked her. She started to break down and explain that she has been scared to do it, because her parents were not happy with her that she has been meeting with missionaries. As we were teaching her the Plan of Salvation, J said that she felt her brother who passed away there with her. She told her family about this, and they doubted her and made fun of her. It saddens me greatly to hear this from our investigators. We pray for them often. We encouraged her and bore our testimonies.

We are working with many others, who we hope we will be able to help learn of this wonderful gospel!!!! We have another busy week ahead of us!

I love serving the Lord. I am holding on to every moment. I hope and pray that you all continue to be well and blessed.

I know that the things that we believe and know are true!!! I hope and pray that we do not take them for granted. It is such a blessing to know what we know. I believe we will be held to a higher standard at the judgement bar, because of the many blessings we are given. "Where much is given, much is required" I am grateful for a father in heaven who is patient with me and all of my weaknesses and shortcomings. He loves us, and he wants to hear from us. I have learned how to REALLY pray out here in the mission field. What a blessing it is. We are promised that we can call down the blessings of heaven.

I love you all so so so so so very much. Thank you for all you do for me.

all my love

Elder Hughes

PS!!! I almost forgot. I had the most crazy small world moment this week! There is a brand new missionary in our zone named Elder Mitchell from Bountiful UT. We went on exchanges this week, and as we talked, I explained to him that I have family that lives in Bountiful. Well guess what?!?!? He is one of Bailee's really good friends!!!! It's a very small world. :) I will send a picture :) Forward it on to Brooke and Bailee

My favorite pair of  brown shoes died!

the Gila Valley Temple at night