History.

In the mission office: Elders Coimbra and M. Pereira, Elder Merrell, Elder Rieker, Elder Marins and Elder Hirst, also me.

Hi all!
How are you this fine Monday? I’m doing well! 

So yesterday we were waiting for the transfer call ... and waiting ... and waiting ... and finally at 9pm we got a call from the Assistants. Our area, Vila Lavínia, is now the Zone Leader area in Mogi das Cruzes, so Elder David and I are now serving as the Zone Leaders here. I got a call last Monday that I´d have to go to the Federal Police office to do visa stuff with Elder Hirst and when I was there in the mission office, President called me into his office while I was waiting to talk with me about the transfer changes a little early. I had the chance to talk with him for about 20 to 30 minutes which was awesome. Elder David is very excited and I am too about the transfer changes, but I’m also feeling a little inadequate. We´ll see how it goes. 

Last night we had dinner at a member’s house who was watching the impeachment news reports, so I watched a little, I have to admit ‘cause its, well, it’s History. It was pretty wild stuff with lots of angry yelling people and so much emotion. Elder David, who’s Brazilian, was fixed on the TV haha. Not really sure of many details; there aren't any demonstrations where we are ... I just know that everyone here is talking about the presidential impeachment. 

My talk (Sunday) went well ... I think. Maybe. I spoke on finding the Spirit in hard times, and shared Alma 48:7, when Moroni prepared the testimony of his armies before battle, instead of swords and such things. I also shared the experience of when I gave my first talk in church on my mission and how I was the only one who understood myself haha. Many of our difficulties can be caused by misunderstandings of things, and can be fixed by focusing on simple truths, like our testimonies. I think I made more sense than my first talk, and many members were kind and complimented me on my grammar. I just think I need to study more. 

The Stake President spoke after us and mentioned some things in his talk both Elder David and I had spoken about. Pretty cool how revelation works right? He spoke on Moses 1, which is one of my favorite chapters in scripture.

I’m glad seminary is going well! Isaiah should be sweet; I’m excited to hear the quotes of what the brethren are writing and saying about it. I want to take the Isaiah class at BYU when I get back! 

I’m feeling and doing fine. The challenging part now, I think, is that my area needs to be an example in the entire zone. The last Assistant, Elder Almeida who was my Zone Leader when I got to São José, was just released as an AP, and will be a district leader here training an American elder. He’s pretty well known for knowing how to work, so I’m gonna learn a lot I think. Looking forward to this transfer.

Love you all! Have a great week!

Also, if you send a box with things again that gets stuck in the post office, I almost want to buy it from the mail service here ... I desire candy, and lots of it. 

Elder Hughes 

The district.

Working and Faithing

04.11.16

How are you today? I am fairly stressed :  )

Haha, I'm stressed, but it's not that bad. We set super high goals as a district this transfer and pretty much need a huge miracle this week. Keeping positive.

This week we had our ward activity encouraging member participation in missionary work, and almost half of the ward came, which considering we planned without a ward mission leader to help us, was a good turn out.

I was reading in John 15 this week about the vine and branches, and how a branch can only produce fruit when it is connected to the vine—and how we are successful when we're connected to Christ. "Preach My Gospel" says the connection is our calling as missionaries. I was thinking this week about fruits coming from our labors, and the thought came to me that fruit has to ripen before you can eat it, and sometimes we just need to have fiath and hope that there will be any fruit at all in the end. The scriptures say we need charity as well—charity for God and our fellow men. We also need eyes fixed on the glory of God, and we need to be humble servants. That has helped me a lot this week 'cause the district has essentially had a really rough transfer.

I like Job because he was super humble. When his family, and animals, and possessions were taken from him, he said that he'd essentially been reborn again because he entered the wrold without those things. That's part of the mission, I think. We restart our lives as more committed—reborn in that sense—disciples of Christ.

Anyways, that was the week. We're working and faithing. I hope you are well there to the US of A!

It's still really hot here but we're getting by.

Love you!

Made a House.

This week was a great one. Easter, going to the temple and then General Conference made for a great week filled with the Spirit.

Going to the temple on Wednesday was so good. We went by bus with another Zone -- where Elder Merrill (MTC companion) -- is serving. We spent the couple of hours there and back laughing and telling mission stories and we talked about things we've learned and some lessons we are learning now. Good day. And it was cool to see all the familiar faces at the temple and get some good spiritual rejuvenation there to the House of the Lord.

Then Conference was amazing.
Totally amped to hear “Come thou Fount (of Every Blessing)”!  

Elder Mazzagardi who spoke Saturday afternoon is from Brazil, and he visited our mission when I was still being trained. He talked with me in English about California. Was missing everyone at home while Conference was happening, but all fine. I was super inspired by the talks about family. The mission is great practice for family life, so that made me really want to do better with all the relationships here on the mission. I felt like I was understanding pretty much everything (in Portuguese), and I had that same feeling in the temple. It was cool to compare the experience of going to the temple when I was first in the MTC to the experience now. Also, we had permission to stay up past missionary curfew to watch the Priesthood session -- which was awesome!

We did a service project and made a house this week, and I lifted a bunch of bricks and cement and got super sore, and got homesick for the gym haha :)

We've had more success in our area. We’re finding many new people to teach and help others learn how to recognize answers to their prayers which is a blessing! 

I had some awesome experiences studying in the scriptures -- really liking Acts right now -- and “Preach My Gospel” this week, and am realizing over and over how important it is to put the teachings and doctrine into practice so we can better understand them. Profound. I am loving the mission and learning so much about the gospel. Feeling really silly for learning the lessons I am now and asking myself how I didn’t learn them earlier, but I guess we learn them when we are best prepared, right?

Watch “On the Lord´s Errand” about President Monson if you have time. It’s awesome.

And that was the week! Love you!

Elder Hughes 

Rain.

Mini MTC district reunion at the Campinas temple. Sister Kinnaman, Elder Merrill, yours truly.