Birthday Week

Dear Family and Friends,
This week has been a crazy one, and it has all led to this crazy storm, and for the second time in a month it has snowed here in Georgia, which is unheard of. The ward has been going crazy making sure we're taking care of, but they just seem to think we don't know anything about anything, but at least they love us enough to care. I'm celebrating the big 2 1 this week, and man do I feel old. But on the down up side it's a big milestone for me, and I can officially be an adult. We have interviews with President King this week, so I'm pretty excited for that, but also scared since it's my first one as a District Leader. I've been thinking a lot lately about the why's of life, and I've come up with some interesting thoughts that I'd like to share. Everything about life can be related back to a tree, or trees. As parents God gives us the charge of supporting his children with the root system we have built, making our foundation in the gospel direly important, because if it isn't strong enough, then our children could fade or die altogether, and that is the worst thing that could happen to one of God's children. Furthermore, I've thought about why children tend to rebel when they become teenagers....and I believe it is because those are the years where they change, their environment changes, and they become the full natural man exposed to the full evil the world has to offer, and thus far in our lives we never have to face anything to hard, but when we hit that stage Satan unleashes his forces, and we have a whole new battle on our hands. This illustrates an important principle though, as it shows us how much God loves us, and how the church supports the family basis. God gives us the greatest gift we have to protect us before it hits, in time to learn how to be protected, and he gives us power against evil, which also has the power of the ministering of angels to protect us, and the church's goal for every young man to serve a mission, which requires careful preparation to lead us through the darkest of times, and when we finish, we've become a solid trunk ready for the road ahead, and able overcome anything we may face. Our Father in Heaven truly does love us, and he will help us as we rely on him. He has given us everything we need to succeed in mortality, of this I testify in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Love,
Elder Hughes