Mail's Updated...

Dear Family and Friends,
This was a rather long week due to a 3 day meeting we had with President King, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 10am - 4pm. It was long, but very good. We spent the time learning about the fundamentals of Preach My Gospel, the new missionary teaching curriculum, and working on improving our teaching skills, and it was very spiritual, and believe it or not, a lot of fun. This week was a very special one for me, because 2 of the most touching moments of my mission occured. Friday night we saw a family we've been working with since I got here, and we set a date with the son (12) for the 19th of February, which was very exciting. But then on the way home, I asked his mom how she felt about the church today as opposed to 7 months ago, and she told me that she believed it was true. Then 45 minutes lated while we were at dinner, she called to talk to me and told me a story. She said that recently she'd been kneeling beside her bed praying, and she started asking very specific questions for some reason, and she was amazed at how quickly her answers came to her mind. I wont quote the things she heard, but in short the Lord told her that this is his church, led by a Prophet, having been restored through Joseph Smith. As she shared the story with me, it touched my heart. Then Sunday I was sitting up on the stand waiting my turn to bear my testimony, and she came up and bore her testimony after I did, and again I was overcome with gratitude and love. It was so neat to see that one of Heavenly Father's children has been brought back to the fold. As I've been pondering this week, I'd like to remard about how much Heavenly Father wants to help us. When we meet the conditions laid out by Moroni in the final chapter of the Book of Mormon, Heavenly Father will answer our prayers so quickly that it will surprise us, and in ways we wont expect. For example when Joseph was in the Sacred Grove, he fully expected an answer to his prayer, and he had Faith, and as soon as he truly called on the Lord in sincerity, that instant he was delivered from the power of the adversary, and the Father and Jesus both appeared to him personally. We do have a loving Father in Heaven, and he does hear and answer us, of these things I testify in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Love,
Elder Hughes