I am done with my training now!!!!!!!!!!! YESSSS!!!!!

Dear Family,

     Well, it looks like another P-Day is here, and almost over with! I'm with you, Mondays are starting to come faster and faster! It seems like just yesterday that I was emailing you, well trying to email you, the first week here! It is insane to think of how much I have learned, and grown as a person and a missionary! It's fun to reflect back, and look at all the things that have changed the past couple of months! I went back the other day in my journal to when I was in the MTC, and when I first got to Africa, and I was laughing to myself! It's pretty funny! I think it's going to be weird to look back and read that when I am older! Speaking of journals, did dad not keep a journal on his mission?? Because I don't remember ever seeing it or reading it... Or maybe I did once upon a time, and didn't know what it was, or how cool it was! When I get back, that'll be something I want to look at for sure! We can all talk about our missions and stuff and it'll be so cool!! Haha. But yes, it's pretty crazy to look back and see how much I have changed! I was going to say, "matured"  but then I figured I am still my goofy old self haha. It's still a big change for sure! I just have one goal, and that's to not come back like returned missionaries always do... Socially awkward, not really knowing what's going on, seems like they've been living out of the country for two years young men! I am going to try my very hardest..... Still gotta have that stunning personality I had before the mission when I get back!

     With that said, the work is going really well! Picking up new amis here and there, a lot of them progressing! Meeting with our recent converts! We had one, Isaac, all of a sudden tell us that he didn’t know if this church was true and he wanted to go back and be a Muslim. I didn't even give it anytime before anyone else could say something and said, "No! You know this is true... Don't even think about the Muslim church. This is the true church and the Gospel of Jesus Christ and you know it." Something along those lines anyways... Elder Tshionyi was all like, "What the...." and then Isaac was all like, "Okay yeah you're right." It was kind of funny, but super spiritual at the same time! If that is possible... Then we went into a lesson on prayer and if he has any doubts about anything, to pray and read the book of mormon about it. I don't really know what came over me just to jump on him like that! Afterwards I was kinda scared that I shouldn't have done that. But, in the end it was a good thing! So no complaints! Genevienve and Esthell (not Esther I just found out) are progressing really well also! They are always asking us questions about the gospel so that they can tell their friends about it which is always fun to see people doing! And they always give us a ton of contacts which is always nice! They are going to be really good members! Mama Onesime, their mom, still isn't progressing with her marriage situation which is sad.. I don't really know what those requirements are for marriage.. I asked President in his email though. So hopefully we will be able to move forward with her! We have started meeting with Ares again at his house, and also talking with his sister. She is 18 and her name is Prestilia. Elder Ngombua and I taught her one time, the first week when I was here, then stopped after that. I didn't remember anything from the first couple weeks I was here haha so when I saw her it just flooded it all back to me and I had an "Ah ha!" Moment... She was happy to see and talk with us again. Everything with our amis and recent converts are going really good!

     As for the language... I can pretty much understand everything that is being said around me... If I really focus and try hard. It's like they are speaking English and it's as clear as water! There are some exceptions, and words that I don't always know... of course but I can usually make the ends meet with the context of what they are trying to say. We were talking to a French man that lives in our apartment when we were up on top eating dinner and I couldn't understand really anything he was saying because he had a real French accent hahaha. I was like oh man that's not French. But it was real french, and I speak African French! We were talking about that and the other missionaries said that that's how it was for them too, and they said what helped them a lot was watching the conference talks in French because they are translated by a French guy. So I think I am going to start doing that as well!  I am done with my training now!!!!!!!!!!! YESSSS!!!!! Finally.... No more 2 hour companionship studies! Haha. Now we really start working and make a lot more lessons and appointments because we don't have to do the training stuff. So i'm excited for that!  I did get the package with the MP3 player in the Mac-N-Cheese! That was probably the best package I have ever gotten!! All of them are amazing! And the football pictures were bomb!!! I loved it! Except for the one of the freaking score board... Haha that made me depressed all day! Thanks a lot for throwing that one in ;) Haha it's okay though, I'm good now! Seeing those pictures made me want to play football even more when I get back! It's really something I like to do! I wrote my whole life plan down in my journal when we were stuck in our apartment because of the rain.. Haha it's pretty good!

     Okay well I best be off! I love all of you with all my heart! Really though... You all do so much for me and it is greatly appreciated! I don't know what I would do without you all... All the letters I got form the Miller Family were absolutely awesome! Make sure to tell them thank you for that! And Debbie and Grandma! Loved it :) If my family were to get in a fight with someone else’s family, my family would totally win! Even if I wasn't there... That's how awesome you all are! I can't wait to hear back from you and how everyone is doing! It is always fun to hear updates on how everyone is doing and faring in this game we call life. (Poetic right?) I am so happy to be a part of this amazing service in preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I've seen it change the lives of so many people. I know that it can continue to change ours for the better. I wouldn't rather be anywhere else in my life right now than serving the Lord. What a great opportunity we all have, as young men to do this! And as well as at our homes and where we are from. I came up with a saying the other day, "Every member a missionary" Haha like it ;)  Okay family, God speed :)

                                                    - Elder Landon Dean Layton

PS:
     Your trip to Oregon looked super fun!! I was jealous of the clothes you were wearing, and not sweating your butt off! That looked like it was fun! Tell Jordan and Cam happy 1st Anniversary and to have a good day! They deserve it!