Happy Groundhog Day!!

Good morning everyone!
Well, the weather up here in Utah is dead cold! Yesterday we were walking and I don't think I have ever been so cold my whole life - even with thermals, wool socks, jackets, sweaters, you name it. My face was definitely the coldest part of me and I think my nose would have fallen off eventually, haha. But we survived and were able to get rides for most of the night so that we were not out during the coldest part of the day. The weird part is that it was so bright and sunny yesterday, it looked like it could have been in the 80's because there was no snow or any real sign of winter. But go outside and it was like getting smacked by an ice wall. Utah can be so deceiving. I hope that if it stays this cold, it will snow! Cold without the snow is so pointless to me. Defeats the whole point of winter, lol.

Another transfer is almost over, that also blows my mind. It feels like I just got to this area yesterday and now I have been here for almost 3 months. We are finally having a baptism this Saturday! It is for a 9 year old kid named Chance and we are hoping to get a baptism for every weekend after that throughout February. We have people on date for baptism and they are sincere in their desires to work towards baptism so we are praying everything works out and that nothing monumental gets in the way. Something always does though, without fail Satan always has to rear his ugly head at some point in the battle. No baptism has ever been easy yet and I don't expect it ever will be in the future. Too much is at stake that we constantly fight against everyday.

Last week I had a baptism in my old area! It was the Reese family - Tina (45), Bailee (14), Dylan (11), and Cassidy (9) and it was probably the most powerful baptism I have ever been to. The family has been taught since July of last year and has been on date and off date for baptism since then. They have always attended church though and have always had a testimony of the gospel, they were just all waiting for each other to get there. It finally happened and it was amazing! Most of the Draper Mountain Point 4th ward showed up and the talks and the prayers and everything was perfect for the family. Everyone there had a great love for this family and had been praying for them to succeed on their various problems and it was a miracle for finally see it happen! It was nice to see them again and Tina tried to give me a hug afterward, which I had to refuse. Sometimes being a missionary is really hard that way. I had to give the talk on the Holy Ghost and I could barely make it through the Spirit was so strong. I an not normally ever a crier, trust me, but I was crying at this baptism. The whole family was just radiant and smiling and everything was perfect. It blew me away.

We got to give talks at church in Sunday too and I forgot how much I love speaking about missionary work. We are going to have to talk more often! I didn't get very much time either - they had a youth speaker, our visa waiter, then a rest hymn, then Elder Noll, then I was last. Turned out I had about 5 minutes and I took about 7 and only got through about 1 1/2 of the5 points I wanted to make. Everyone was laughing though and I was quoted in the closing prayer that the whole ward would become those "crazy smiley" people that bring others into the gospel. That was fun!

It never ceases to amaze me how much the Lord loves people or how many miracles we see everyday. We were visiting with Steve Wright last night and he is now on date to be baptized on February 26 and he told us the whole story of why we were let in the house. He and his wife had just had a bitter separation from each other after 10 years of marriage because of a domestic violence charge against both of them. Before they ever got into that fight though, he found out that his wife had been cheating on him throughout the entire marriage with various other guys. So he felt down in the dumps and he was contemplating suicide. The only thing that was holding him on was his two sons. Then he tore his rotator cuff and ACL and had to quit his job. So he felt even more worthless. That was when the Lord brought us back to his door and he allowed us in to share the message of the Restoration. Everyday since then about a week and half ago, his smile gets bigger and bigger, he has started laugh again, he has found new purpose for life and he loves the Book of Mormon and is so excited for baptism. Talk about a change! I am so glad that we have this gospel and church that gives us so much hope and optimism and can even light up the darkest lives at the darkest times! He plans on going to church this Sunday for the first time (the only time in his life he will have set foot in another church besides a Baptist one) and he is looking forward to it. He said if we would have come before all the pain started, he never would have opened the door or at least would have slammed it in our faces. But the Lord knew him and he said that the Lord gave him what was needed so that he would join our church. His entire outlook on his life and his trials has changed and it amazes me. I don't think I could do what he is doing and put it all behind me, but he is and he is being so blessed for it. I am so thankful we have a loving Heavenly Father and a loving Savior who atoned not only for our sins but for every heartache and depression and desertion we have to go through in this life. Steve has clearly shown me that the Atonement covers everything and he has allowed it to change his life.

We started to teach the Garcia family as well and I don't think I have ever had a more powerful first lesson. It was short, about 30 minutes. But the Spirit was so strong and spoke to both Br. and Sis. Garcia in such powerful and moving ways. They too have been very prepared because of their circumstances to hear the gospel and were so excited to read and pray about the Book of Mormon. Br. Garcia gave one of the most humble, moving closing prayers ever - and the first he has ever offered out loud that wasn't a rote thing from the Catholic church! We are so excited for them, they are also on date for February 26 and are excited for that. They are struggling to get church clothes, we think, but are going to try the best that they can.

Another miracle happened as well, we got Brian Veiwheger on date for February 19 and all the supplies that he needs to quite smoking about a week before then! He originally only wanted to get baptized in May and wasn't williing to move it up. But we were praying really hard that the Lord would soften his heart and help his faith to grow and it did! When we extended the date, he at first denied it. But then he thought about it, prayed about it and accepted it with all of his heart. Then his mother told us that it would be the perfect day because it was her older son's birthday and he had past away many years ago. It would be a fitting tribute to him and the only way to bind the family together forever to have Brian get baptized so she was all for it and then Brian got even more excited about it and everything moved forward! AMAZING!

Well time is short and I actually wrote people letters today so something should be coming in the mail later this week! I love you all and pray for you everyday, I hope for all the greatest happiness for you!
Elder Hughes