Happy Fall!

Good morning everybody!
This past week has been pretty great and although we haven't been having too much success, we are still finding joy in the work. I am still in my first area, survived another transfer for now. That will make 8 transfers in one area, basically just about 2ish weeks short of a year. Kind of crazy, but I have really enjoyed it. Before I ever (if I ever) leave this area though, I want it to end on a high note and not on a downhill. Both stakes are trying to do great missionary work, but all the easy people who were extremely open to the gospel seemed to have been found and baptized. Now, there is just really stubborn people left. Love them all as I do, stubborn investigators are a lot more frustrating than golden investigators. But it is all good and we are working to solidify our investigators, less actives, and recent converts. They are all still progressing, some only at a very, very slow rate, but still progressing. Oh, I learned how to fix something new! My key broke in the doorknob this past week as we were coming home for the night. I was able to get the door unlocked and to get inside, but half the key was still stuck in the lock. Not the best option to leave you door stuck between locked and unlocked. So I took apart the door knob and was able to get the key out using a screwdriver and patience. Then I had to reassemble the door knob back on the door. That turned out to be much harder than taking it apart trying to get all the screws and pins to line up exactly so that it would fit perfectly back on the door. But I managed and I learned how to put a doorknob back together. I guess that is one good thing about being the only missionary companionship to have their own apartment in the whole mission - we get to learn how to be handymen and how to fix everything you can imagine. It was fun though and I enjoyed doing it.

In other news, I fasted this past Sunday to be reconverted and re-exhilirated for missionary work, because my fire for it has kind of been dying out with no change and a lot of the time feeling like I am alone instead of with a companion. I got my answer by the third Sacrament meeting we attended. It was all about people who have been struggling with financial issues or recent deaths or other life changing tragedies and trials. Their message and testimony was all the same though - although the gospel might not make life easier or perfect, it is the only way we can receive the strength to carry on and usually with a smile. So I was given the inspiration to carry on and work hard, even if we aren't doing nearly as well as we did. Heavenly Father is aware of our struggles and everything will work out for our good if we keep trying. Life and the mission will not always be perfect and just peachy, but it will be the best that it can be as we put our whole heart and soul into what we do. So I found a new spark to go out and do missionary work and renewed faith that everything that we are trying to do is not in vain and that it will all work out for the best someday. It was a huge miracle and blessing to me though to receive an answer to my fast, even before I had finished fasting though. Heavenly Father truly does love and take care of His missionaries and do everything He can to help to feel loved and to work hard. How cool is that!

The people we are working with are in various stages of progression and regression. They seem to take two steps forward and 1.999 steps back. But they are slowly changing for the better and helping their lives to gradually improve. No one will rise to the challenge of immediate progression though, they are all content with where they are at. I found out one reason why missionary work in Draper has slowed down - the bishops have all had their attention devoted on other matters. About 20% of each ward is probably in some process of foreclosure and so instead of having all the correlation and ward leadership missions be focused on missionary work, they are focusing on the 5 or 7 new families who are about to lose their house this week. The economy has opened up many people's hearts to receive the gospel, true, but it is also distracting the faithful members from reaching out to those who aren't members or who are less active because the active members have enough crisis issues to keep every organization busy. We are trying to get the bishops to refocus back on missionary work, because it brings great blessings and I think the wards would be blessed in this matter for doing so. But for now, the focus has shifted elsewhere and missionary work gets a ton harder when you don't have the membership backing. Especially in Salt Lake City South Mission.

Raymond Martinez is still excited for baptism though and is pushing ahead for it, despite the numerous tricks and traps the Adversary is putting on his path. So are the Reese family. We are so excited for them and love them.

Oh, something else that happened this week. One of my recent converts found himself being offended and upset for trying to do the right. He was going hometeaching with the elder's quorum president and the ward mission leader. Turned out not one single visit they made had a lesson attached, the were all social visits. Jose had prepared spiritual thoughts and everything and was so excited to bear testimony and do those things, but to no avail. Then one family they visited said that they were doing fine, and then Jose got the impression they were facing really big trials and problems. His companion didn't believe him, but now the family has not been attending church for 2 and a half months, when they attended faithfully every week before. Jose feels it is all his fault for having received the prompting and not acting on it because the more "seasoned" member of the church didn't seem to care. He was really down about it this past week and the amazing thing was that all our appointments cancelled that evening and we were searching for people to visit to get more referrals, but instead of that we ended having a lesson that was the most spiritual one we have had all week with Jose about what his calling and responsibility is and how he has to follow the Spirit's promptings courageously despite the examples of others. I don't think Jose was going to leave the church per se, but Heavenly Father loved him enough to watch him struggling and to have everything else fall through so that we could help Jose that night. That is how much Heavenly Father truly cares. It amazes me and I am so grateful for it. Also, we are working on reteaching the ward on how hometeaching = teaching, not just social visiting. There should be prayers and a lesson and seeking for the Spirit's guidance. So please if you read this letter and you are a home or visiting teacher - be a fantastic example in everything that you do! You never know who is watching or how much you are influencing others!

Well, I love and pray for you all every day! Time is running out though and I must leave and go do other things! I hope you are all loving Fall!
Elder Hughes