Good morning everybody!
Well, life has been going fairly good up here in Utah. I did manage to catch a pretty bad cold this past week but my landlords, the Smith's have actually been able to help out a lot. They showed me how to take grounded cayene pepper shots. They are really hot and spicy but they clean you out fast and make you feel a ton better in not very much time at all. They even gave me so more today so I can take some to stay strong and relatively healthy. You mix about a tablespoon of cayene pepper with just enough water to have to dissolve - about 2 or 3 gulps worth. Then you just chug and follow it down with milk or bread to keep your mouth from burning too bad. Works like a charm. A lot of other people are getting sick too though, just that time of year I guess. Elder Fordham in my district has been out about the past week with the flu - body aches, headache, chills, fever, vomiting, etc, you name it - he had all the symptoms. So far no one else has got it yet, thank goodness. Ironically, all the rules just changed again. No more going out to meals with family or friends, so there goes that plan with Grandma and Lora and Ashley. I guess I will just have to wait until this fall in order to see anyone when I come home. Also, no more early morning temple trips! AHHHHH! I don't know how I am going to survive without those, but we will find a way somehow I guess. We can still go later in the day on p-day, but my companion is extremely opposed to even the thought of that idea. We will see what happens. Transfers are next Wednesday and you just never know what might change. I'm still shooting for only two areas my whole mission, haha. That means another 4 transfers in this area to go if the Lord allows me to pull that off.

Speaking 3 times this past Sunday was so much fun! I forgot how much fun it is to get up there and share stories and experiences and such. Also, I managed to make all 3 of my talks different (that took some careful planning). The hardest one was speaking about 12 minutes on the great apostasy and not being able to speak about Christ's church in former times or the restoration at all. That took lots of good scritpures and ideas. The other two were just on member missionary work and both were fairly easy thanks to much prayer and pondering. We will see if anything actually happens now that we did speak. The members here in this area just can't be fired up to do missionary work and speaking was about the last option we had left. If that doesn't work, I don't have any more ideas left. Back to tracting all the time I guess. Which I don't mind, but doesn't get very much actual work done at all. We do have a stake youth fireside tonight and another one next week. We are hoping to get a lot of referrals from that and to be able to keep busy the next few weeks checking up on those. Also, President Miller should be training both our stakes on the ward mission process and the ward mission plan in the next month to every single auxiliary,quorum, and ward mission leadership. As well as all the bishopbrics and the stake leadership. We are banking on that helping out as well. We keep praying hard seeking for more guidance, but right now that is all we have received, so we will move forward in faith.

The adversary strikes again. Steve, who was just baptized, had his power turned off on him last week. He had overdue power bills that his wife had been collecting and hiding from him. When Steve finally found out, it was two days before the power kill date. He got nervous about talking to the bishop because he didn't want to put his church membership in jeopardy or his priesthood. That took quite a bit of explaining. It was awe-inspiring though to hear him speak. He was set on living off of canned foods the next 2 weeks with using flashlights to study the scriptures and taking much time to ponder and reflect. He said nothing was worth hurting his standing in the church or with God. Thankfully, he accepted what we taught about the church welfare system and called the bishop who immediately got the power turned back on. It was a miracle. It was so touching though to hear him bear his testimony! I don't know if I would have the faith to sacrifice like he has for the gospel. But he cannot wait to be able to get his endowments from the temple now, his goal is to become the most active Mormon anyone has ever met, haha. So he has now watched the past 3 years worth of every session of general conference or so and took notebooks worth of questions and notes that he enjoyed. Then he has hit the Book of Mormon hard and is determined to read it all very soon from start to finish. That and the Bible, the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price. Plus the Gospel Principles manual. He is dedicated and an inspiration to me. He really has the fire of the Spirit and is sharing the gospel with all that he knows. Many of our new investigators that we find will probably come from him. He had found the truth and is trying to share it with any and all that will listen.

Thomas is doing well. He is excited to be baptized on March 26 and is looking forward to it. Everything is going forward there. The ward is getting excited about another baptism and about another strong convert to the church. It is great to teach and work with people who are honestly searching for the truth. Makes the work so much easier and the Spirit so much stronger.

Other than that, not much else is new. Still trying to work as hard as my companion will allow me by knocking on doors, talking to people in the streets, speaking to all the members,etc. He just has lost all energy though and President and I don't know what to do for him anymore. He can finally agree that he has a testimony and that he agrees and believes in the gospel and in the church. But he has no desire to share it with others or to work. So much more thought and prayer. There has to be some way to get him more excited and engaged.

The weather has been beautiful. Some rain and cloudy days, but no snow or freezing weather. Life is good, but moving much too fast for my liking or enjoyment, lol. But I don't think it ever really slows down. I am still good on contacts, I have plenty left. Also, I was sent to a dermatologist a few weeks ago (thanks to President) and so have new acne medicine that I am trying so I won't be needing any more of that for awhile.

Love and prayers for you all!
Elder Hughes