~Elders Ilunga and Layton (1st Companion in Togo)~
Hellllooo!! (in a Mrs. Doubtfire voice) How is everyone doing out in the good ole United States of America?? From the sound of things, it seems really good! Which always makes me happy to hear :) Everyone looks so happy in all the pictures and things that you have told me. Go Layton family! And branches thereof. Haha that's like what they say in the scriptures! I didn't even think of that until after I read it. I like hearing the updates of everyone and what's going on! Except for Sam (Brother-in-law) and his Grandma. But now he can do baptisms for the dead for her so that is good! I'm sure he has already thought of that though... The pictures of Ben are really cute as well! He is getting so huge it is ridiculous! It's going to be weird to see him when I get back. Will he be able to talk..? I'm not sure about that whole age thing and how that works. Our family was different with that stuff. I wasn't potty trained till I was 4 and Jordan didn't have hair till she was 7! You'll have to let me know what his first words are! Probably "Elder Layton" or something like that. And the boat seems to be coming along nicely! Where is dad working on it at? That didn't look like anywhere that I knew. I can't wait to see the finished product! That'll be exciting! And I don't really remember any of the questions that you posed in the letter... Haha it's easier when you just pose them all at the end because I just copy and paste them when I email you back. It's too slow to go back and forth to look at the other email so I will do my best to respond to all of them!
So as for me in Togo, Agblogeme, things are going super good!! We have started working really hard and have been reaping the benefits! We were out going door to door, or I guess group of houses to group of houses. We were just about to go back to the apartment when we decided to go talk to one more lady. We thought that she would be interested, but turned out that she wasn't at all. So after we were done talking to her, I remembered something that we talked about in the last Zone Conference. We talked about asking EVERY single person we talk to if they know someone who would be interested in our message. That way if the person you are talking to isn't diggin' the message, maybe they have a friend who would be. So I asked her if she knew anyone and she said that there was a lady who lived in a house in the same little "complex" I guess you could say. So we went over and talk to her for a little bit, and we had Natalie, her name, committed to baptism for the 7th of July within 5 minutes of talking to her!! Now I wish I could take credit for that, but I know that she was prepared by the Lord for us to come talk to her. She was even ready to do to Church Sunday morning saying that she had been anxiously waiting for us to go get her! Which almost never happens. At first, I was pretty happy of myself and stoked that we were did such a good job. It wasn't till that night that I realized that she was prepared by God to talk to us until my companion thanked Heavenly Father for preparing her for us. So that right there is something that I have learned from my companion! I mean I knew the Savior prepares our amis, but he definitely opened my eyes when he thanked him for us being able to find her! I know that it's little things like that that will make me grow and prosper on the mission. And something that I have learned from my companion so that's a plus! Everything with my companion is going really well! His name is Elder Ilunga I don't know if I told you that before.
For me personally, I have been doing really well!! French is the least of my worries now, which is such a major blessing. It seems like I can actually concentrate on my amis and their needs instead of worrying how I am going to say something! I mean it's definitely not perfect, and I still have strides to go, but I am at the point where I can say what I need to say without thinking about it too hard! So I am very grateful for that. I know that the Lord has blessed me with the gift of tongues and I thank him every night! And I find joy in studying French too! I used to just sit and relax when we were supposed to be studying, but now it is totally different! I love to study it! I just want to get to the point where I can just say anything and everything! And I know that if I want to use it when I get back for who knows what, I can't waste any time! So that aspect of the mission is going very well now :) I continue to learn something new every day about the gospel as well. I just started the Book of Mormon again, and am going to attack it from an investigators point of view! I figure if I take it from a different point of view I will learn things in a different way! So I am excited to proceed with that! Everything else is going very well!
Today I went to the apartment of some other Elders, Elder Workman and Maxwell and Baird? It was good to get to know them! I really like Elder Workman! He goes home in 5 months and is from Arizona. We went to get some hamburgers and ice cream as well so that is always fun to do! Well family, I best be off. Thank you so much for all that you do for me and being such an amazing family! I love each and every one of you. I am so grateful for all that you have done for me. You are always in my prayers and I wish you to have an amazing week!!
Love, Elder Landon Dean Layton
EMAIL CHAT: (Warning: It really is quite riveting ;) But it's fun to have that "Real-Time" exchange with each other. This is some of what we shared...)
Me- Hi Elder Landon!
Thank you for your letter! Sam's grandma was a member and was actually endowed as well. Sam and Kylee bought her new temple clothes to be buried in today.
Elder- Oh really I didn't know that! That's cool. I thought that he was the first in his family.
Me- Sam's Gma is his dads mom and she is the only member in the family I think :) AND Dad is working on the boat in his work shop.
Elder- The shop for his work??
ME- Yes ha-ha dads work shop. We will send more pictures of it next week :)
Elder- Well I am just about out of time!! I will see you later!!! I love you :)
Me- I LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!
No comments:
Post a Comment