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.

Hill Walking

What eight months looks like. 

Hi all!

We walked a lot this week. A whole lot. There are more hills here than in São José, so that’s exciting. Also, we’re eating lots of pizza here—regular sized pizza along with small mini pizzas that are sweet and are dessert. Good stuff. Loving missionary work. Working hard and having fun. 

Mogi das Cruzes was quiet on Good Friday—no one was in the streets—and it rained a lot. A whole lot. Easter Sunday was so good. The director of the Brasil MTC spoke in Sacrament meeting at church about the life of Christ and being meek and humble as He was, focusing on the Atonement as the ultimate example of meekness and humility. A High Counselor shared a message about the opportunity we have to take the sacrament in remembrance of the Atonement and resurrection every Sunday. Awesome talks that I really liked. The MTC director then taught Sunday School about the history and importance of Easter that blew my mind. 

I’ve been grateful for Irmã Sonia this past week. She has given us home-baked breads and tea and has taken good care of us. She is an elderly widow who hasn’t visited with the missionaries in years. We went to her house to share a spiritual thought with her but she ended up teaching us haha. It was a great experience to visit and talk, and was a blessing. 

On Wednesday we are going to the temple which will be a welcome miracle! It will be awesome to go, and also to see other people in the mission. 

I've had the opportunity to conduct a baptismal interview with a woman named Maria, and it was a really cool experience to talk with her and hear her testimony. She found the church through a friend, has been learning more about the gospel of Jesus Christ, and has decided to be baptized. Her two sons want to be baptized too. Awesome stuff. 

I’m excited for General Conference; I can’t wait to be taught! 

Love you! Will think of you all this conference weekend :) 

Elder Hughes

Me and Elder David

View from my window

The District

Hello! How are you all?! 

For transfers, I took the train—I didn’t go to the office. I went direct...alone! That’s the rule here now. We just go direct, so I had like 2 hours all to myself! Kinda odd but I liked it haha. 

The area here is really big with a small ward. The director of the Brazilian MTC lives in the ward. That’s pretty cool, and he gives lunch too! We’re still getting to know the area; liking it here. It’s very much city and not like my last area at all—lots of hills. We have a big area to open, so we're trying to get to know it and find where the members live. Good stuff!  

There are 2 Elders here in the district—me, and Elder David. Elder David is from Londrina, Paraná. He and his brother are the only church members in their family and both are serving missions and being awesome examples. Super inspiring to me! We met the ward on Sunday and were received warmly, and we were asked to bear testimony of missionary work which was cool. The district includes four areas—my area plus three other areas of all Sisters. We have had a meeting but we have yet to take a photo all together!

This week I’ve been inspired to really think about the Atonement and Resurrection before Easter. I’ve finished up the book of John, and I think this week I’m gonna try and read another one of the gospels. I really love reading in Portuguese. One of the biggest things I’ve learned on the mission is a love for the scriptures. Not reading them almost seems impossible now haha. I love reading about the life of Christ and the Atonement. I like feeling and being taught by the Spirit. 

And that is really it...sorry! We need to get to the mission office today to pick up a package Elder David got from his family for Easter. 

Love you!

Elder Hughes 

Transfer

Hello all!

The transfer call came this morning (Monday). I was at the office earlier in the week with all the foreign missionaries to get a CPF document thing and President Silcox told me I was would be leaving São José, so I knew I’d be transferred, but to where, I didn’t know. President called this morning and I am going to the Zona Mogi das Cruzes to be a District Leader with Elder David. (I’ve never met him but he’s been on the mission for 1 year and 3 months. President mentioned that it’s a great area, but will probably be challenging; I’m keeping positive.) I’ll be opening an area for the third time in a row. In the three areas I’ve had on my mission, I’ve been able to help open each of them. Right on! 

At the mission office I also saw Elder Martins (my trainer); he is the Financial Secretary now, and Elder Hirst who is the mission Excecutive Secretary, which was cool. Anyways, it was a good week. Tonight we have a dinner night with people from the ward here to eat açaí. 

Awesome about seminary! I liked the Old Testament and wild to think that it was so long ago that it was just us every morning to read it! I have good memories from those days :) 

This transfer I learned more about trusting in the Lord to fulfill and magnify your calling. He qualifies those whom he calls and help us understand how we can do better and learn more. Training has been a challenging but very rewarding experience, and I have learned a so much about the fospel and about myself. I’ve really liked learning to put gospel principles in practice better and to be taught by the Spirit. When we have a duty in the Lord´s service, He helps us fulfill it. 

I’ve been inspired this week to develop my ability to think positively through trials and have patience in them. Learning this is kind of a learn-by-experience effort but it is necessary. We need faith and hope to work through our trials optimistically and learn from them; things we can gain from a testimony of the Atonement. 

I’m thankful for being companions with Elder Amancio because he has taught me so much during our two transfers together; I think I have essentially been the trainee. I’ve been thankful for his example and the opportunity which I had to work with him and watch him help others. Elder Amancio has great love for his family, and has showed that in our area and for our investigators and members. 

In the scriptures, I just finished the Book of Mormon in Portuguese and I’m moving on to the New Testament now, starting in John. One thing I noticed in the Book of Mormon over and over is that we need faith, hope, obedience, and charity to prepare ourselves to meet God again. We need these things to prepare ourselves for our trials and to have positivity through them. I’m liking learning and understanding better what I’m reading, and then putting in practice what I’ve been reading and being taught. It’s a little hard, but sometimes I get up early to read more and study which is fun. I just like the scriptures haha.

That was pretty much the week. We’re working hard and I’m looking forward to the next transfer. Leaving the area is hard ‘cause I really love the people here. It’ll be good, though, to see new things and meet new people. I’ve really liked São José dos Campos areas, but I am looking forward to the new ward and new zone and new experiences! Tomorrow I leave early in the morning to get to my new area and get to work.

I will have more news next week! Love you and pray for us!

I’ll be praying for y’all too! 

Elder Hughes 

Pizza with Diogo and Elder Amancio

Arm wrestling E. Amancio

photo: Diogo Jones

Zona São José dos Campos. Photo: Elder Vasconcelos

Photo: Diogo Jones

Awesomeness in a Pea Pod

Zona São José dos Campos; missing Sisters Feitosa, Cordner and Swindler 

Hello! 

Wild story about Donner Pass and sliding and snow and such things. Zoinks. I would have died a little inside i think if I was the driver haha. Good work to you I say! That is awesomeness in a pea pod.

The streets here fill with water because it rains so much now that it’s winter, but there’s also a bit of sun too. Bummer. I like rain lots.  

This week was super busy for us. This is the last week of the transfer. We’ll be having a baptism this coming Sunday—the last Sunday of the transfer. We’ll get the transfer call Sunday afternoon. I’ve been here in the Zone for a while (there are people who were here, left, and came back already haha) so i think I’ll be leaving. I feel like I’ll leave but then I also feel like I’m going to stay here. I’m going to keep working, that doesn’t change. Gotta keep on keeping on. 

This past week I learned that sometimes when you follow the spirit with regards to one thing, the blessings can sometimes come from a different direction. An appointment fell through because we then were able to go to an investigator’s house who lived nearby. The timing was actually perfect. She had contacted us to let us know she was ready and excited to be baptized, and we were able to go right over and talk with her. I was able to bear my testimony to J. that her decision to be baptized was the best decision she could make now. This taught me that God helps us in all sorts of ways! 

During the Saturday session, President Silcox spoke and talked about missionary work and how our small actions can bring about huge differences in the lives of those around us. For example, Wilford Woodruff taught President Silcox´s great-grandfather the gospel four generations ago, and now President Silcox is helping teach the gospel and serve here as a mission president in Brasil. Awesome stuff. He also talked about the importance of reading the scriptures and enduring to the end. During his talk, President Silcox asked all the 1st generation members of the church there to stand up, and nearly everyone besides elder Amancio and me stood. Crazy to me. Literally, the only ones sitting were Elder Amancio and me. 

The visiting General Authority, Brother Maurício Gonzaga, talked about developing charity and other attributes that we need to become more like the Savior. 

In the scriptures, I’m finishing up 3rd Nephi and will start the New Testament soon—reading in Portuguese. My goal for the year is to read the Book of Mormon, Doctrine & Covenants and New Testament in Portuguese. Do you have a favorite book in the scriptures or a favorite chapter? I really like John 21, but I feel like a favorite chapter or book in the scriptures isn’t playing fair, right?

I am happy, working hard, and I will keep praying for you all.

I hope you have an awesome week! 

Love you!

Elder Hughes 

Stake Conference with President and Sister Silcox. 

Domingo dia de Conferência! Photo credit: Diogo Jones

Rain.