Elder Jake Hough, 9.12.18--week 7

SZIAAAAAA AGGGGGGIEEESSSS! and of course, ITS A GREAT DAY TO BE A COUGAR!! LETS GO! Before I start the email I wnat to give a shout out to the CSHS (College Station High School) Cross Country team, who has dominated their last two meets from what I hear and are well on their way to exceeding their expectations for state, their last meet at the Hewitt Kiwanis Invitational was a sweep, I'll let the numbers speak for themselves:

1- CSHS 28 pts 
2- Killeen Ellison 81 pts 
3- Austin Westlake 105 pts
4- Belton 109 pts
5- Corsicana 109 pts

CSHS top finishers 
Benn- 15:52.4
McGinnis- 16:00.9
Sid- 16:15.4
Reichmann- 16:42.9
Lindahl- 16:58.1
Hazelwood- 17:21.1

All finished in the top 20 

Guys, I want y'all to know I am BEYOND stoked and excited for y'all. That is getting into Lovejoy territory more than it ever has, so keep up the work. I wish I was there to watch, but I know that y'all will do great and I am so proud of y'all and happy for the success y'all are having! Enjoy it Seniors its gone before you know it!

Alright. This week, as most, was just mind blowing! i have never seen Heavenly Fathers love for me individually, and for the Sister Missionaries in my district more than I have this week. It was a rough week. It really was. But the experiences we have had because of it and the emotions that have been shared and the charity that has been felt between everyone has brought us closer as a family than anything else could, and that is what the Gospel is about. Bringing everyone closer together as we come closer to Christ. Because as You and I come closer to Christ, we come closer to each other because we are going in the same direction. We had a few sisters this week have a hard go, and it was a ROUGH week, I didn't know the 3rd week till you leave is the hardest but it is. Anyway, we were in class and some of the sisters expressed that they were having a hard time feeling of God's Love in their lives, because of how hard the mission life is, and that prayers theyve had haven't been answered and we sat in a circle and read scriptures with each other. I shared my keystone scripture Alma 38:5 (And now my son Shiblon, I would that ye should remember, that inasmuch as ye shall put your trust in God, you shall be delivered out of your trials, and your troubles, and your afflictions, and ye shall be lifted up at the last day) with them and told the story behind that scripture which was when I collapsed at Region and was in the hospital, but I told them the whole emotion behind the story, and how I cam across the scripture in the hospital bed, and that I at one point when I couldn't think or breathe right after the incident that I thought I was going to die I was so scared, and then not knowing what was wrong was the hardest not answer to a question. But I told them that I had learned a hard lesson in trusting in God and His plan for me, and we just discussed scriptures like that and that spirit was so strong I teared up. I didn't cry because I don't bawl, but some tears of empathy and charity for my fellow sisters were shed, and it was a tender and very spiritual experience. I realized the possibility that I could be put on a different flight than the Sisters (being assigned) in two days which would mean I would have to say good bye at the MTC, and as I thought about it, I can honestly say that they are my sisters. Older Sisters I have never had until now. The road of that realationship and dynamic has been rough, mainly cause I work hard, and they do too but they are the most savage roasters on the planet (sorry dad you pale in comparison theyd destroy you) and I have had to learn to REALLY just go with the flow with them and to laugh at myself and to just recognize fun where it is and for what its worth, and because of that journey with these sisters and the fact I wont see them in Hungary because of mission rules, I will probably cry when I say bye, honestly. And I'm ok with that. If you asked me if I would've wanted a district full of sisters before my mission I would have said heck no. But I can say with the honesty of my heart that I would have it no other way. I wouldn't.

I got sick this week. Flu season is upon us. But I wasn't flu sick, just really bad headache, runny nose, drainage and ACHING EVERYWHERE it was not fun. It got to the point where I almost fell walking back to my room on saturday night and I asked my good friend Yasli Mitchell for a blessing of healing, yasli Johnson to anoint and all the yasli to bless. Mitchell had never done one, and he did awesome with it I was really proud of him. Well, that was right before I went to bed so we said prayers and then went to bed. I prayed again for the healing from that blessing. and then in the morening, after the cobwebs were shaken off I realized every single symptom I had the night before was GONE. Vanished. Drainage and cold doesn't normally go away by itself from my experience that fast. That was overnight. I know that the Melchezidek Priesthood that Yasli johnson, MacKay and Mitchell held worthily is what healed me from my ailment. And The whole floor is sick now, but I am fine, thankfully. What a testimony builder of the power of the Priesthood in our lives, and if any of you have worries, concerns, stresses, or sicknesses that are ailing you, go to those who hold the priesthood: Dads, brothers, ministering Brothers, and ask for that blessing, and I promise as Christ repeatedly says in the New Testament "According to thy faith", you will be healed, and if not immediately, don't worry! The Lord knows exactly what you need and when you need it. Persevere with patience and you shall not fail. I promise you that. (In another message, Jake said: There is an elder one floor below us who is quarantined because of the Roto Virus that has been going around Provo and American Fork. He is bedridden he is so sick cant even go home and apparently it is airborne hence such serious quarantine. Pray I don't get it before leaving!) 

A final thought before I finish this email, We had Robert C Gay of the Presidency of the 70 come last night to speak to us. Well, his wife spoke, then he gets up very quietly and says "well, in true missionary fashion, I ripped up my talk just two minutes ago, and would like to convey what the lord needs you to hear this night." I got chills when he said that and was like here we go. He spoke by the Holy Ghost, no notes, nothing but his scriptures and the Spirit, and he answered a question I have had for a week or two in the first 5 minutes of his address. But what I want to tell y'all and have y'all really think about this week are these two quotes that work hand in hand:

"You can live by COVENANT or by CONVENIENCE"---Robert C Gay

"If something we think, say, do, or see/watch alienates us from the Holy Spirit of Revelation and of God, then we SHOULD NOT DO IT. It is not for us."---Elder Bednar

I love y'all so much, next week I'll let y'all know where I fly out to and when and with who and it's so exciting! I love this gospel, and I love my Savior. He died for me, and this mission is literally the least of what I could do to try to repay that debt I owe to Him. Love those around you, and just smile, its the plan of happiness after all!

Sziasztok!

Hough Elder

Photo shoot Friday!

BEST DISTRICT selfie with FIEL NOVER (one of our instructors)!

"Trifle not with sacred things." Haha!

Look who I ran into at the MTC?! (Jared and Dallin Garlick's cousin!!) (Friends in our old ward)

Guess the drink 2.0. (I call it dragon juice:)

Hough Elder

Also funny story, I made Fox 13 as a missionary lol! I'll send you the link with me and the turkish on camera. It was so funny. "Riiiiiiiiiiighht THERE!" (a reference from "The Incredibles") is what you'll be saying haha! 

View news clip HERE.