Sorry that it's taken awhile for me to write you today! Better late than never though, right? ;) The power has been out for most of the day and it's been pretty sketchy! So I hope that I still get to send this one off! It sounds like your birthday went really well!! That's good to hear! I thought that I would try and send you a little something on your birthday! I'm glad I got to! It sounds like you got totally spoiled too! Lucky you ;) It's good to hear that everyone is doing well and having fun! I am super jealous of the weather that you're having.. I would kill to have 'outside sweatshirt' weather! That's my favorite... The weather here this week has been RIDICULOUS!!!
It's been so crazy hot haha. Like I walked outside, and just got slapped in the face with hot, humid heat! I was sweating within 30 seconds. Which is weird because the rainy season is supposed to be starting soon.. I guess it's kinda like the calm before the storm type of thing! But it's all good! To be honest, I would rather be here in the heat than freezing my back side off somewhere that is cold all the time... I don't really know where that would be. Like the North Pole or somewhere like that. I bet there aren't missionaries there though! Anyways, yeah this week was really hot! You can only imagine what it's like, sitting in an amis (investigator) house with no fan, or air conditioning of course. It's pretty brutal! You know it's hot, when they are sweating too haha.
It's been so crazy hot haha. Like I walked outside, and just got slapped in the face with hot, humid heat! I was sweating within 30 seconds. Which is weird because the rainy season is supposed to be starting soon.. I guess it's kinda like the calm before the storm type of thing! But it's all good! To be honest, I would rather be here in the heat than freezing my back side off somewhere that is cold all the time... I don't really know where that would be. Like the North Pole or somewhere like that. I bet there aren't missionaries there though! Anyways, yeah this week was really hot! You can only imagine what it's like, sitting in an amis (investigator) house with no fan, or air conditioning of course. It's pretty brutal! You know it's hot, when they are sweating too haha.
This week was a pretty successful week! We had two baptisms! Genivieve and Esther. They are the two sisters that are 16 and 18. I'll try and send a picture of that. Elder Tshionyi has a little crush one of them so he really likes teaching them! I tried to explain to him that that wasn't really okay and he just looked at me and didn't understand what I was saying.. Haha but it was good! The story with them is pretty interesting. Elder Ngombua and I starting teaching their mom, and she has been ready for baptism forever. She has kids of course, and has to get married before she can get baptized. We've been dealing with that for about a month up until Elder Tshionyi got here. We always went and just met with the mom, Mama Onesime. You call all the moms and ladies "Mama" by the way. Anyways we just decided to teach the two daughters as well and they are really awesome and outgoing and really like to learn about the gospel! Which is awesome. They always ask good questions and talk really well about things. That always makes you happy! Because sometimes you get amis that just look at you when you talk and just agree with everything you say and don't ask any questions... So it was a good baptism for sure! I was stoked about it. We'll continue meeting with them and working on the marriage with Mama Onesime. Ares and Joachim are doing really well too! Well Joachim is.. Ares told us this week that he started smoking again and didn't want to stop. My companion started to chastise him hardcore when he told us that and through him off and got all mad. I tried to explain to him that we can't act like that when they have problems, but that we have to be understanding, show disappointment, but just tell them that we are there to help them with their problem. The African missionaries don't really work like that though which is a disappointment as well. With time I'm sure they will understand! I hope.. Their youngest brother Faustin has his baptism this Saturday so that will be good as well! We're hoping to get Ares to come to that and kind of remind him of everything. It's been about 2 months since his baptism. Ares was my first baptism so that would be sad to see him fall away. He is a main focus for us right now!
The story behind the two little girls ... They are daughters to some of our amis. Sergio and Marium. They are just new amis that are progressing well. Sergio is SUPER catholic and has a lot of questions. He is willing to hear to what we have to say and listen with an accepting heart. He is working on reading the Book of Mormon right now. I have a good feeling about him! But those little girls are adorable huh!? I had to get a picture with them... Our sector is doing really well! We have the highest numbers in our districts again this week so it's like not a big deal or anything ;) Nah the work is going really well though!
As for the Language, it's coming along insanely well! I love it! Everyday I just feel like I can understand more and more, and communicate more fluently without really thinking about it! I know for a fact that you guys are helping me a ton with all the prayers and blessings I'm receiving from the temple. I know that the Lord is blessing me tons and I am so thankful for that! So keep up whatever you're doing in the states, because it's totally working well :) We meet with this family almost everyday who have been members for about a year now I think, and they tell me how amazed they are about how fast I am learning French! They were telling me that when I first went there, they couldn't understand a thing I was saying, and that was awkward haha. It's a totally different story! I assure them that it's not me and it's the gift of tongues that is with me! They are very spiritual people and I will for sure miss them when I have to leave this area. Which won't be for another 6 weeks at least! We just had another transfer and Elder Tshionyi and I are staying together. The Malagash is leaving, and so is one of the Congolese, Elder Ndibu. We are getting an Ivorian that Elder Shumway is going to train, and another American from New Jersey that has been out for about a year, Elder Katcho. So we are going to have 3 Americans! I'm way excited about that!
The work really is going very well. I am so happy to be enrolled in this service of preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I know that for a fact that it is blessing peoples lives here in Benin and Togo, and all over the world!
I've been reading "Our Heritage" from the missionary library and have learned a lot about what it took to actually get the church into the Salt Lake Valley, and everything that President Young did for the Church. I have also been reading his teaching in the Teaching of the Prophets book. It's amazing. He really was an amazing man. I am so grateful for all that those people did so that we have the church we do today. In the book it recalls a journal entry from a missionary that was called in the 1890's to serve in Bear Lake, Utah. He says something about how there were 5 or so missionaries called there, and it was one of the worst winters that had hit up there and a lot of them decided to go home because of the weather conditions. But he testified that he was going to stay there no matter how bad things got, and he would serve his mission that President Young assigned to him through revelation of God. That just made me realize how much was done for me, so that I can be here preaching the same gospel that was back then. The restored Gospel of Jesus Christ. This really is a "Marvelous work" that is coming worth among the children of men in Africa and around the whole entire world. Always remember to count your blessings, and how blessed we are to have what we do back in the states, especially in the great state of Utah! I can only imagine the gospel being like it is there, here. I am going to do my part in trying to get it that way! Heck, by the time I leave, there is going to be a Temple in Benin Cotonou ;) I love you guys so much! And your support is seriously unreal. You guys mean so much to me and I think about you every single day I am out here. You are all so amazing! I know that Heavenly Father loves you as well as our amazing brother Jesus Christ! And of course, the one who manifests all of that to us, the Holy Ghost. What more could you ask for in a family!? Seems pretty unbeatable to me :) Alright well I'll be going now! I can't wait to hear back from you next week about how awesome you all are doing! God speed!
I've been reading "Our Heritage" from the missionary library and have learned a lot about what it took to actually get the church into the Salt Lake Valley, and everything that President Young did for the Church. I have also been reading his teaching in the Teaching of the Prophets book. It's amazing. He really was an amazing man. I am so grateful for all that those people did so that we have the church we do today. In the book it recalls a journal entry from a missionary that was called in the 1890's to serve in Bear Lake, Utah. He says something about how there were 5 or so missionaries called there, and it was one of the worst winters that had hit up there and a lot of them decided to go home because of the weather conditions. But he testified that he was going to stay there no matter how bad things got, and he would serve his mission that President Young assigned to him through revelation of God. That just made me realize how much was done for me, so that I can be here preaching the same gospel that was back then. The restored Gospel of Jesus Christ. This really is a "Marvelous work" that is coming worth among the children of men in Africa and around the whole entire world. Always remember to count your blessings, and how blessed we are to have what we do back in the states, especially in the great state of Utah! I can only imagine the gospel being like it is there, here. I am going to do my part in trying to get it that way! Heck, by the time I leave, there is going to be a Temple in Benin Cotonou ;) I love you guys so much! And your support is seriously unreal. You guys mean so much to me and I think about you every single day I am out here. You are all so amazing! I know that Heavenly Father loves you as well as our amazing brother Jesus Christ! And of course, the one who manifests all of that to us, the Holy Ghost. What more could you ask for in a family!? Seems pretty unbeatable to me :) Alright well I'll be going now! I can't wait to hear back from you next week about how awesome you all are doing! God speed!
Love your son,
Elder Landon Dean Layton
Benin Cotonou Mission
December '11 - December '13
1- Whose hat are you wearing in the other pic? We had a good chuckle with that one! BTW YOU LOOK AMAZING!!!
- Haha that's Elder Shumways! I though it would be pretty cool... And thanks, it's not easy looking that good, ya know? ;) I don't know if I told you or not but I did end up buying some clippers!
2- How is the teaching of the 3rd brother of that family going? Is he interested yet?
- Going very well! He is super interested!
3- How did the baptism go for the two sisters? 16 & 18 right?
- Super AWESOME!
4- What was the pit (low) of your week and the peak (high) of your week? In a segment we like to call, "The Pit and the Peak!"
- Pit - Totally running out of money today and we don't get our money till this Wednesday... So I don't know what I'm going to do haha. It'll be okay though :) Adventure time! Eating rats found in the street.. No just kidding that would be no good!
-Peak- Baptism and french for sure! I love it all :)
5- Any info on Mother's Day calls? Do we skype?
- Um.... WE haven't heard anything yet. I'm not totally sure how it works. I think we are skyping... I'm sure we will figure it all out! I'll be able to let you know more I think! What day is mothers day even..?
Oops :/
Oops :/
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| Just 9 days old. |
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| Yep, this is Ben with his Aunt Jordan! |
This is what Baby Ben looked like when we dropped Landon off at the M.T.C.
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