Going places

 April 29, 2024, 

 

Dear family and friends, 

 

For Larry’s (President Hughes’) birthday he requested that we ride the train from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh. It is a 35 hour train ride. He did some research and 3 months after his birthday we finally went on the Reunification Express. We rode it from Ho Chi Minh to Hanoi after Zone conference in the south. The train ride was just what you expect, rickety, loud at times, lots of stops, not too glamorous and scenic views. We got to travel by villages, towns, mountains, fields, and beaches we would have never seen otherwise. It was fun to see rural Vietnam and the people who live there. We did get off the train with a few aches and pains from beds that felt like table tops and wanting some fresh food. They did feed us and the food was pretty good considering the kitchen size and the length of the train, we just didn’t 100%trust it. We ate quite a few of the snacks we brought with us as well as the cold cereal and boxed milk. We were in a 4 person birth and we paid for all 4 beds so we could have a private room. We listened to General conference,(which was wonderful!)  took pictures, and enjoyed the scenery. We got to spend time together.  Are we glad we went? Yes! Would we do it again? Maybe, but it felt like a once in a lifetime event. It was a bucket list item we can check off. 

 

Our second, Spending “A day with the missionaries” was a succession Ho Chi Minh City. The missionaries loved getting to know and serve with a member. The YSA”s got excited about missionary work and some are preparing to be part of the greatest work happening on the earth today. It lit a fire of excitement and courage that they can do it. We heard comments that this was their happiest day, and they loved being a missionary. The missionaries thanked us for giving them the best “greenie” ever and that they learned from them how to talk to people or how to connect with people. The testimony meeting after was filled with the spirit. It was wonderful. 

 

We took our annual Mission leader 3 day vacation to Sapa. It is in the Northern part of Vietnam. We bough a member with us to help show us around. Sister Bich Ngoc was awesome/ She hired a car to be our driver for a few days. She knew which places to eat were safe and good. She shared a lot about the culture and people, and she took lots of pictures for us! It is a small that has terraced rice fields up the mountain sides and in the valleys. There are several ethnic gourds that live there and they wear their traditional clothing and look so beautiful. We went to the tops of the tallest mountain in Asia, Fansipan. We also went to a village called Cat Cat village. They have lots of shops, traditional costumes to rent for picture taking, shows with traditional instruments, music and dances. I enjoyed both of those excursions but my favorite thing was to see the rice field terraces. It was hazy but we could still see them. It was hard to get good pictures because of the haze but I am so glad we went to that beautiful place in Vietnam.

 

All of our things were packed today. We each have about 1 suitcase each of clothes and things. The pictures that made it feel more like our home are gone and the souvenirs we bought or boxed up. I kept one decoration. It is small on a shelf in my bathroom It says “Don’t count the days. Make the Days count.” It s a great reminder to stay focused. We still have lots of things to do in our 2 months left. It has been emotionally exhausting packing and realizing things are really coming to an end.

 

Our weeks are filled. We will come home exhausted. We love serving the Lord with His army in this part of His vineyard. Our numbers are few but our light is bright. We are on the brink of something big. The church is small but it is getting closer to having families, more YSA missionaries, more temple endowments and a stronger foundation. As the YSA’s build stronger faith, serve missions and get married in the temple we will see even more growth. They are still figuring out the different programs in the church.It is hard to be a primary leader if you have never seen primary and all of your friends are in Relief Society. It is hard to be a YW or YM leader when you have never read the handbook, For the Strength of Youth or The Children and Youth program. We teach and train on them often. Slowly in a Branch here and there someone gets called. I truly believe we will have more families and youth stay strong if we can get these organizations going. We want to continue to “Think Big” as we prepare for stakes, wards and someday a temple. 

 

This is a great work. God is truly watching over us and our missionaries. We have felt His love for this country and its’ people. I truly believe what the Savior said in Doctrine and Covenants 84: 88 And whoso receiveth you, there I will be also, for I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up. Love, Sister Hughes

Chi Vy and Chi My witn Chi Hughes




President Hughes love talking to and entertaining the children


Waterfall in Cat Cat Village

2 beautiful Hmong grandmas


Chi Bich Ngoc with one of our dinners

Cute Hmong mom with her baby selling fruit

Walking to Love waterfall

Another beautiful Cat Cat Village

Shop in Sapa

Chi Bich Ngoc on the way to the glass bridge

Ruins of an old French church

By the Sapa rice fields

MCMC district presidency with Pres Hughes

1 of many homes we saw on the train ride.


Arriving at the station



 

Coast line on the train ride

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