The Final Epistle General Of Elder Hughes
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, I begin by saying thank you for all the love support and prayers that have been given in my behalf so that I could serve the Lord these last 2 years. As I have pondered and reflected upon the experiences I've have and the person I've become, I truly stand all amazed at the working of the Lord in our lives. Surely all things do testify of him, and he is involved in the details of our every day lives. As I have studied and learned and applied the teachings of the scriptures in my life, I have come to understand the power of repentance, and the true power of the Atonement in cleansing us from sin, and empowering us to overcome our fallen nature that results from the Fall of Adam and Eve. In that sacrifice of his Only Begotten Son, our Heavenly Father truly did manifest the depth and purity of his love for us, which exceeds all human understanding. But he did so that we might one day return to his presence, and have all the tools and power necessary for us to overcome the challenges of this life. As we exercise our Faith unto repentance we will come to a greater understanding of the Atonement in our lives. God lives. I have learned this through experience and revelation through the Holy Ghost. He is the father of our Spirits, and he loves us who are his Spirit children. Jesus is the Christ, the Holy Messiah, the Savior and Redeemer of the world. He came to this earth to suffer, bleed, and die for us, and he was crucified, and resurrected. In this act of Atonement he provided the means whereby all mankind might be saved through obedience to the laws and ordinances of the gospel, and on the conditions of repentance. As our Heavenly Father God wishes to converse with us, he knows however that we cannot endure his presence, and therefore communes with us through the Spirit. We all can receive personal Revelation to guide is in our lives, through challenges, and to fulfill and magnify our callings. The gospel of Jesus Christ has been handed down through the ages to Prophets who were repeatedly refected, and even the Savior himself was refected. But God knowing the calamity which should befall the inhaditants of the earth has restored in these latter days that same with the fulness of the gospel through a modern day Prophet by the name of Joseph Smith. After a diligent search for truth, the young boy only 14 years of age sought God's counsel, and was visited by God the Father and Jesus Christ himself, and later through series of angelic ministrations was able to translate the Book of Mormon by the Gift and Power of God, restore sacred Priesthood Authority with it's attendant Keys, and in short all other things which are expedient for the Salvation and Exaltation of God's children. This is true, we knew and sustained Joseph in the premortal councils in heaven, and rejoiced at the opportunity to be a part of his dispensation, and participate with him in preparing the world to receive the Redeemer once more. Those keys and that Authority have been passed down in an unbroken chain to President Thomas S. Monson today, and he is God's chosen Prophet to lead his Saints today. The Book of Mormon is True, it is the keystone of the restored gospel, and all who will in the sincerity of their heart read, ponder, and live it's teaching having Faith in the Savior can know of the truthfulness of these things for themselves by sincerely asking God our Eternal Father in the name of Christ if they are true, and by the Power of the Holy Ghost he will reveal the Truth of ALL Things. Of these things I testify and close these writings of this mission that I have been blessed to serve admonishing all to come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, that ye may stand spotless before him at the last day when he stands to judge the world, and reward all men according to their works. I love you all, and will see you soon. Farewell until we meet again.
Love,
Elder Craig Alan Hughes
Georgia Atlanta North Mission
November 4th, 2009 - November 9th, 2011
Monday, November 7, 2011
Monday, October 31, 2011
It's sinking in... the mission is almost over
Dear Mom,
I think that I can actually fit everything now thank goodness. No I didn't get your package yet, but I'll watch for it. I was actually going to talk about my bike, you must be psychic. I'm currently in the process of packing it. Sounds like the hunt wasn't too good this year, but we'll get them next year. I also have a request, the last book of the eragon series comes out the 8th of november, and we need to get it so I can read it, hint, hint.....anyway, this week was a long one it just seemed to drag by. Between everyone reminding me constantly that I go home next week, and the lack of things to do, it just seemed like the week drug on forever. We did get a call from one of our top investigators, and we're excited to meet with her again and get to teach her. Hopefully we'll be able to commit her to baptism. I wanted to send a funny picture home. Since next week is my last week to write, I plan on writing my end address to the world there so I'm going to keep this letter short, but know that I love you, and miss you, and look forward to seeing you soon.
Love,
Elder Hughes
I think that I can actually fit everything now thank goodness. No I didn't get your package yet, but I'll watch for it. I was actually going to talk about my bike, you must be psychic. I'm currently in the process of packing it. Sounds like the hunt wasn't too good this year, but we'll get them next year. I also have a request, the last book of the eragon series comes out the 8th of november, and we need to get it so I can read it, hint, hint.....anyway, this week was a long one it just seemed to drag by. Between everyone reminding me constantly that I go home next week, and the lack of things to do, it just seemed like the week drug on forever. We did get a call from one of our top investigators, and we're excited to meet with her again and get to teach her. Hopefully we'll be able to commit her to baptism. I wanted to send a funny picture home. Since next week is my last week to write, I plan on writing my end address to the world there so I'm going to keep this letter short, but know that I love you, and miss you, and look forward to seeing you soon.
Love,
Elder Hughes
Monday, October 24, 2011
Short..but...Good
Dear Mom,
This week was good, not much going on in the way of teaching but we did have one cool experience. We taught a referral that met us at the church building with our ward mission leader, and we taught her as we toured the church, and the spirit was very powerful. We ended at the baptismal font, and she actually asked us how long it took to join the church. It was the only time I think I've ever had someone ask me that question, but it was awesome. We also got to teach another lady about the plan of salvation and since she recently lost her husband we got to talk to her about the work that goes on in the Spirit World, and she got very excited aobut it, it was super cool. Other than that, we've pretty much just been doing lots of tracting, but I do feel like I'm continuing to learn, and as the time of my depature draws nearer I'm having to face reality and not liking it at all, but such is life ya know. I know that God lives, and loves us, that Jesus is the Christ, and that we can all receive personal revelation through the Holy Ghost.
Love,
Elder Hughes
This week was good, not much going on in the way of teaching but we did have one cool experience. We taught a referral that met us at the church building with our ward mission leader, and we taught her as we toured the church, and the spirit was very powerful. We ended at the baptismal font, and she actually asked us how long it took to join the church. It was the only time I think I've ever had someone ask me that question, but it was awesome. We also got to teach another lady about the plan of salvation and since she recently lost her husband we got to talk to her about the work that goes on in the Spirit World, and she got very excited aobut it, it was super cool. Other than that, we've pretty much just been doing lots of tracting, but I do feel like I'm continuing to learn, and as the time of my depature draws nearer I'm having to face reality and not liking it at all, but such is life ya know. I know that God lives, and loves us, that Jesus is the Christ, and that we can all receive personal revelation through the Holy Ghost.
Love,
Elder Hughes
Monday, October 17, 2011
Good News
Dear Family and Friends,
This week was crazy, between a 2 day leadership training, an exchange with the zone leaders, and a stake service project, I think I actually spent more time outside my area than in. We were supposed to have a baptism on Saturday, but it actually happened on Wednesday, and turned out to be a double baptism, so it was super exciting!!! Both people got confirmed on Sunday, so it was a great end to a week of craziness. As the end of this mission draws near, I can't help but reflect, and as I've done so I've tried to think of the most important things I could share with people, and I'm drawn again and again to obedience. It is the first law of everything, and the basis of our conversion to the gospel. In short it is the key to making everything go around, without it there would be only empty dreams, and dead works. It truly is the most important thing we can be. Were it not for the Saviors' devotion to obedience, surely he wouldn't have carried on through the agonizing pain of suffering the wrath of God....Through our obedience we show our respect to him, and love to him as he himself stated, and as we learn in the scriptures, we were placed here to see if we would be obedient. I would hope that we all might evaluate our level of obedience and strive to increase it, so that we might enjoy the blessings of our loving Father in Heaven more fully in our lives, is my prayer in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
Love,
Elder Hughes
This week was crazy, between a 2 day leadership training, an exchange with the zone leaders, and a stake service project, I think I actually spent more time outside my area than in. We were supposed to have a baptism on Saturday, but it actually happened on Wednesday, and turned out to be a double baptism, so it was super exciting!!! Both people got confirmed on Sunday, so it was a great end to a week of craziness. As the end of this mission draws near, I can't help but reflect, and as I've done so I've tried to think of the most important things I could share with people, and I'm drawn again and again to obedience. It is the first law of everything, and the basis of our conversion to the gospel. In short it is the key to making everything go around, without it there would be only empty dreams, and dead works. It truly is the most important thing we can be. Were it not for the Saviors' devotion to obedience, surely he wouldn't have carried on through the agonizing pain of suffering the wrath of God....Through our obedience we show our respect to him, and love to him as he himself stated, and as we learn in the scriptures, we were placed here to see if we would be obedient. I would hope that we all might evaluate our level of obedience and strive to increase it, so that we might enjoy the blessings of our loving Father in Heaven more fully in our lives, is my prayer in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
Love,
Elder Hughes
Monday, October 10, 2011
Just 31 more days to GO...
Dear Family and Friends,
As I have been reflecting this week on the calling of a missionary, and the true importance of the Spirit in this work, I have had some neat experiences. First it was revealed to me that to feed the Lord's sheep we must do so spiritually which helped me understand why a testimony is so important in this work. Then last night we had a rather neat experience. It was late at night and we decided to stop at one last less-active families house, and as we sat there talking with them I truly felt the love the Lord had for them, and was able to invite them to come back after sharing with them how the gospel has affected my life. They weren't open to coming back immediately, but they definitely revealed that they do want their children to grow up in the gospel, and it really helped us understand what we can do to help them. It seems that the Lord must have had a great purpose in my being here, because I've really had to humble myself, and I've really noticed a difference in the level of my own spirituality. I realize that my time as a missionary is short, and so it with all the power of my conviction that I testify that Jesus is the Christ the son of the living God, the Book of Mormon is truly the word of God revealed to us for our day and time to guide and direct us in our life, and I invite all to drink deeply from the rich messages of it's pages and come to understand and experience the power it contains to help us draw closer to our Savior. He loves us, and wants to heal us, I tesifty of these thing in his sacred and holy name, Amen.
Love,
Elder Hughes
As I have been reflecting this week on the calling of a missionary, and the true importance of the Spirit in this work, I have had some neat experiences. First it was revealed to me that to feed the Lord's sheep we must do so spiritually which helped me understand why a testimony is so important in this work. Then last night we had a rather neat experience. It was late at night and we decided to stop at one last less-active families house, and as we sat there talking with them I truly felt the love the Lord had for them, and was able to invite them to come back after sharing with them how the gospel has affected my life. They weren't open to coming back immediately, but they definitely revealed that they do want their children to grow up in the gospel, and it really helped us understand what we can do to help them. It seems that the Lord must have had a great purpose in my being here, because I've really had to humble myself, and I've really noticed a difference in the level of my own spirituality. I realize that my time as a missionary is short, and so it with all the power of my conviction that I testify that Jesus is the Christ the son of the living God, the Book of Mormon is truly the word of God revealed to us for our day and time to guide and direct us in our life, and I invite all to drink deeply from the rich messages of it's pages and come to understand and experience the power it contains to help us draw closer to our Savior. He loves us, and wants to heal us, I tesifty of these thing in his sacred and holy name, Amen.
Love,
Elder Hughes
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Owl's Are In
Dear Mom,
Everything went well with the move, but I still do need to send some stuff home, hopefully only one box, but maybe two. That stinks that dad missed his deer. The week was alright, kind of depressing having to pack knowing that I'll have to do it again in 6 weeks, but the new area is cool. Funnily enough, I've actually been Christmas carolling in this ward, so it's not new. What did you think of General Conference? I think it was awesome. My 2 companions have been out for 2 and 1 transfer, and are from Utah, and Canada respectively. There cool, but they remind me a lot of me when I had been out that long, and it's hard to figure out where to start to teach them about things. We had a couple cool experiences this week with following the Spirit. A couple of times we didn''t really have anything to do, so we just followed the Spirit and we ended up talking to a ton of people, and actually found a couple that were interested they were really cool experiences. This area is a lot less affluent than Roswell, and the people here definitely seem much more humble. I'm really excited for the things that are happening, we currently have an investigator scheduled to be baptized on the 15th, so we're hoping that it works out. I have to admit when I first learned I was being transferred I was quite upset, but as I pondered about it, I realized that the Lord must have a purpose in it all, and as I prayed about it, I realized that the Lord needed me to do something. I know God lives, and that he loves us. I know Jesus is the Christ the Son of the Living God, the Savior, and Redeemer of the world. I know that God does inspire his children through the Holy Ghost. I know that Thomas Monson is Gods' chosen Prophet today, that the Book of Mormon is true, and that Joseph Smith was the Prophet through whom God restored the gospel in this final dispensation. I testify of these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
Everything went well with the move, but I still do need to send some stuff home, hopefully only one box, but maybe two. That stinks that dad missed his deer. The week was alright, kind of depressing having to pack knowing that I'll have to do it again in 6 weeks, but the new area is cool. Funnily enough, I've actually been Christmas carolling in this ward, so it's not new. What did you think of General Conference? I think it was awesome. My 2 companions have been out for 2 and 1 transfer, and are from Utah, and Canada respectively. There cool, but they remind me a lot of me when I had been out that long, and it's hard to figure out where to start to teach them about things. We had a couple cool experiences this week with following the Spirit. A couple of times we didn''t really have anything to do, so we just followed the Spirit and we ended up talking to a ton of people, and actually found a couple that were interested they were really cool experiences. This area is a lot less affluent than Roswell, and the people here definitely seem much more humble. I'm really excited for the things that are happening, we currently have an investigator scheduled to be baptized on the 15th, so we're hoping that it works out. I have to admit when I first learned I was being transferred I was quite upset, but as I pondered about it, I realized that the Lord must have a purpose in it all, and as I prayed about it, I realized that the Lord needed me to do something. I know God lives, and that he loves us. I know Jesus is the Christ the Son of the Living God, the Savior, and Redeemer of the world. I know that God does inspire his children through the Holy Ghost. I know that Thomas Monson is Gods' chosen Prophet today, that the Book of Mormon is true, and that Joseph Smith was the Prophet through whom God restored the gospel in this final dispensation. I testify of these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
Monday, September 26, 2011
Note for the Week
Dear Mom,
This week brought a lot of interesting things. We met a bunch of new people, and have a lot of exciting things going on, and then I found out this morning that I wont be finishing my mission in Roswell. I'm being transferred to an area that is actually an adjacent ward to the one I started my mission in way back in the day. I'm really depressed about it, but such is life, it never goes the way you want it to, and I know the Lord must need me to do something there. So needless to say, It'll be a good measure for how much stuff I need to condense to get home. I did learn something cool this week though. I realized that repentance isn't about changing what you do, it's about changing who you are because of what you do. It seems so simple, but it was a major breakthrough for me. I want you to know that I know God lives, and that he loves us. I know that he is guiding and directing us, and that he wants us all to return to him. I also know that there are angels among us. I testify of these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
This week brought a lot of interesting things. We met a bunch of new people, and have a lot of exciting things going on, and then I found out this morning that I wont be finishing my mission in Roswell. I'm being transferred to an area that is actually an adjacent ward to the one I started my mission in way back in the day. I'm really depressed about it, but such is life, it never goes the way you want it to, and I know the Lord must need me to do something there. So needless to say, It'll be a good measure for how much stuff I need to condense to get home. I did learn something cool this week though. I realized that repentance isn't about changing what you do, it's about changing who you are because of what you do. It seems so simple, but it was a major breakthrough for me. I want you to know that I know God lives, and that he loves us. I know that he is guiding and directing us, and that he wants us all to return to him. I also know that there are angels among us. I testify of these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
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