Week #3 Provo Temple

Hello Family! So the mail here has been way super slow because of the holiday season. It was been closed after Christmas, then it was closed for new years so the mail is way backed up! I really enjoy getting the dear elders throughout the week, but I will probably just reply to you guys through email every Tuesday via email. then write back everyone else that has written me throughout the week in a letter. We aren't supposed to really write any emails till our p day haha. but when I have some down time i figure i will knock one out. It is hard to tell the timing with the mail because it has been so sketchy lately.

     Everything here is going really good! The blanket has saved me! It is so much better than the blanket that they give us... the shoes fit too! Which is good. I won't be wearing them till I get to Africa though... Haha they are pretty radical! But yeah they fit! This next week I will probably get caught back up with your letter and everything then I will answer next Tuesday. I think I already said that haha I just want to make sure that you understand... I sent my memory card with a bunch of pictures on it so you guys will probably get that soon. And I sent a picture with a description of the people who are in our district. And a letter so you guys will get that I'm sure. It is crazy how fast I have learned to grow and love everyone in District 4G-A!

 New Years Eve was actually pretty fun! We all stayed up in our room till midnight just talking about this and that. At 12:00 we said happy new years and we have a perfect view to the Utah Valley and we sat and watched fireworks for 20 minutes! It was pretty awesome! I don't think that I have ever watched fireworks on new years eve.. And I didn't get a new years eve kiss, but that's okay! So the 4, 4 gig memory cards that you gave me for my camera don't work... But i bought a 2 gig one at the book store and it was 3 bucks HP brand and it works. Everything here is so cheap because the missionaries get 40 percent off everything! it's nice. But yeah those 4 gig memory cards wont do me any good so I will be sending them home and I will just buy like 3 more at the bookstore.

     I can't really think of anything that I need at the moment... We haven't been able to go to the temple once since we have been here until today! We finally got to go... It was so nice! I loved it. It was weird not having dad there to tell me what to do... Haha. but there was this old guy there and he was helping me out! Nice man. It was such a NICE day today too! I just sat outside the temple for like 15 minutes and just soaked it all in... This weather is crazy for it being January! But before you know it we will be hit with a ton of snow out of no where haha. Elder Boadbent is our new District leader because the other zone leaders left out to the field. Elder Taylor and Elder Fuller are now the Zone leaders. I really like our mission presidency they are awesome! I really like Brother Mangum. After you send me that other memory card back, I will send you the one that I have now. And we will just kinda keep trading back and forth... I send them to you with pictures, you take them off, send it back, I send you the next one, and repeat. Perfect!

     I need a picture of Lucy (our dog) asap... I probably miss her the most! Haha just kidding. but I really do miss her. My French has really improved the past week! We were teaching our progressing investigator and I bore my testimony for 15 minutes and gave the lesson without looking at my paper... Haha there was a point where I didn't really know what I was saying or if it was right. Then I asked if it made sense afterwards and they said that it was perfect :) So that was pretty cool!! The gift of tongues has been blessed upon me.. Haha. But seriously. I am have been so blessed throughout my experience so far with comfort and the current reminder that here is where I am supposed to be! I cant' wait to continue to grow!

     I have gained like 15 pounds I think... Haha. I mean I don't really know for sure, but it feels like it! Our district's, all together ate 47 bowls of life cereal in 15 minutes hahaha. It was one of our goals. I was so sick after wards. I ate 6 bowls. NBD. (No Big Deal...I had to look it up) We haven't been told one thing about Benin or where we are serving or anything like that. All of our teacher are either from Canada or served in France somewhere. So we don't know what to expect. I hear that people in Africa want to get baptised all the time and they will just come up to you and say "I want to be in the white people tribe" haha. They said that's good but you have to make sure they are getting baptized for the right reasons haha.

     I am sooooo excited to get out into the field you have no idea! 5 district's left from our zone so we are about to get a lot more new people... so that will be fun. Caden Dymock or however you spell it is going to be in our zone. I see Andy Rushton and Tanner Kearney everyday. And Max Fisher and Kyle Sheppard. Do you know when Jp and Dillon and those kids come in? I think it is sometime this month...

     Well time is short so I gotta wrap it up. So yeah everything here is going really well and I am doing well as well! well. haha. Yeah it's good! I love the dear elders and appreciate them so much! Every time I get three or 4 everyone is like, you are loved Elder Layton haha. And it's true! I am loved and I am so thankful for all of you guys. You're the best!! I can't wait to hear back from you. Love, Elder Layton.