I wouldn't trade the experience I am having here for anything you guys are doing there... Sorry ;)

Dear Entire Family,

     Hi! What's up? Not much out here just preaching the word of God! Which is going well by the way... Thanks for asking :) Nah but really things are going very well! Work is going good, health is doing great, progressing some investigators, speaking French, loving the mission! What more could an Elder ask for... How about a BBQ Chicken Pizza from Domino's? Do you think that they could get it here on time? 30 minutes or it's free right? I'll order it tonight! 

Haha that made my stomach turn. I could use some decent food right about now! I am at the need to put another hole in my belt... I might be a very good leather worker when I get back from my mission! Punching holes in it only. 

Craving BBQ Chicken Pizza from Domino's!

     Elder Montross and I are for sure going to hit up some fast food next Monday! We won't have time today because Elder Ilunga and I are going to learn how to cook some stuff and our investigators house! Fun huh? I am actually excited! I will be able to eat the rice we are going to learn how to make other than eating macaroni with gross sauce all the time... I should have paid attention when dad was working his magic in the kitchen! Shame on me.

     I am embarrassed that I didn't get what dad was trying to say in his email to me! He hit a figurative wall... Not a literal wall! Hahaha you gotta give me a break.. I have been speaking French so often that my English expressions are going down the drain! Really though when I try to talk to sister Weed it is difficult sometimes to find what to say! I can only imagine what my homecoming talk is going to be like! Rough stuff... But I get it now! Tell him to stop hitting walls and get to work! Then you would take the trailer along with the boat up to Flaming Gorge! AH!!!! Man that sounds like fun right? I smell a family road trip when I get back. The trailer looks really nice too! Good work. And the Waterfields and theirs! I love it! You guys start doing all this fun stuff once I leave!? What's just with that!? Haha just kidding. I wouldn't trade the experience I am having here for anything you guys are doing there... Sorry ;) 

     Dad in that one picture made me laugh! His sarcastic smile! Gotta love it. And it sounds like Shelby had a good birthday! I don't know why, but hers is the only birthday in our whole family that I know and remember. I don't know why! August 3rd had just always stuck in my head for some reason! I hope she had a good birthday and wish her a late happy birthday for me! I cannot believe that she is 17... That is absolutely crazy! My little sister is not growing up that fast... Just as long as boys stay away from her it'll be all good. Seriously though.

     Okay, as for me out here in Togo, like I said they are going very well! The weeks seem to just fly by faster and faster as I progress in my mission. This week was a pretty productive week. We didn't have as many lessons as usual, but the ones we had were quality. There sure is a difference in trying to impress either yourself or the mission president with numbers, and having lessons that actually have meaning. I don't know how many times we have had a lesson that had gone absolutely no where. I don't know why but sometimes it just happens. But this week we seemed to have a good working week! 

    We are really focusing on an investigator right now. He is a good investigator. He has assisted church 2 Sundays in a row now and posses a lot of questions in the investigator class and in Elders Quorum. I feel that we will progress him and set a date for baptism this week. Not to do the baptism but to set a goal. We have only taught him the majority of the first lessons because he always asks us questions. Which is a good thing, if you take care of it the right way. We have a message of the restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and it needs to be shared. Sometimes we go off on tangents talking about stuff that doesn't relate to our message. Yes, it is gospel related, but it is not contend that leads our investigator towards baptism. It is important to answer the questions, but sometimes like I said we take a little too much time on them. When we were at church we talked about the word of wisdom and he said that he drinks sometimes with his friends. We are hoping that it is not serious and we'll teach him that lesson this week. He is the one that cooked us cat by the way. He always keeps our rendezvous which is good. I have a feeling that he will progress well. Although that is what I thought about another one and she just kinda of fell off the face of the earth! We will continue to work with him. 

     Other than him, the majority if not the whole rest of our investigators have the issue with marriage. The wives seem to be interested in the message but sometimes the husbands seem to be a little prideful and don't want to accept our message. But they have to be Legally Married before we can baptize them. In Africa they have this paper that has to be signed by the two and their parents or legal guardians. I don't really know much about it but I know that the majority of the people here do not have it which makes it very difficult to progress them and get them into the baptismal font. That is something that everyone faces though and is something that you just have to try and push through and pray that they will be able to do what it takes. Some have a very strong testimony of this gospel, but cannot get baptized because they don't have the money to pay for marriage. So we just have to tell them to save their pennies and know that they will eventually be there one day. I just testify to them that if they have a desire to do it, it can be done. And read 1 Nephi 3:7 "And it came to pass that I, Nephi, said unto my father: I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them". I read that scripture probably 5 times a day with all of the people we teach. I think that it just gives them comfort knowing that even though they are in Africa, and sometimes things get hard, God had prepared a way for them to take care of what is needed, or commanded.

     My companion and I had to leave to go to a lesson we had with an investigator and we just got back to the Cyber. I was all in the groove of writing and lost my train of thought! Oh well... I can try and get it back. We actually didn't teach a lesson with him this time. He had his friend come over and she taught us how to cook SUPER good rice! Except for it took forever and I don't think that I want to take that much time to cook during the day... Rice and macaroni will satisfy me for now! But yeah that is what is going on in our sector. Earlier today Sister Weed and President came over just to say hi before they left back to Benin. 

    It is sad to be seeing more Elders go home, that would make 3 out of the 6. I guess there is always a reason, let it be just or unjust. Anyways, this week I got a letter, or should I say another letter from Rosanne Reeves! She is so nice to write me. That is the 3rd letter I believe that I have received from her. Make sure to tell her thank you and I appreciated the letter and all that she said. She is such a nice lady and I know how much she enjoys Shelby in Young Women’s. So while I was at Innocents house just barely, while we were eating our rice he turned the TV on and I got to watch some of the Olympics... I watched some wrestling and synchronized swimming and some men’s rings gymnastics thing. So that was pretty cool. Except for I didn't see one American compete! That's okay... And I was disappointed when I saw that we were behind China in the medal count! That is ridiculous. We better take it all! I have gotten really patriotic ever since I got out here haha. I think that it is kind of funny but cool at the same time. One Nation under God for sure! 

     Well I think that just about wraps up my letter for today... Hope I touched on everything that I wanted too! And sorry for no picture... The cyber that we came back to isn't to good and the connection is slow. I don't even think that this computer has a USB input.. Haha. And the lady that works here is mean... I don't like this Cyber! I think that it is just a onetime thing though so it's all good! Well I love all of you with all my heart and I want you to know that I pray for each and every one of you every day and night. You guys mean the world to me and I love hearing about your week and the things that you are doing! I better be getting some pictures of you guys putting that trailer, and eventually the boat, to use! Or at least have it ready by the time that I get back ;) 

     Okay this is where I leave you till next Monday. May you let Christ lead you in your lives as you go throughout your daily routine no matter what you’re doing. Let it be going to work, school, eating, sleeping, "n'importe quelle activité" ("any activity"). Page 24 Teachings of Brigham Young... Wish I could quote it word for word but I can't... So I won’t even try! Just read it! Okay have a good day :)

     Love your son, Elder Landon Dean Layton 

QUESTIONS: 

1- Did you meet with Pres. Weed Last week?
     -Yeah we did. We had an interview and it went well! I think that was last week... Or the week before. I did talk with him today for a little bit but it was just hi and see ya later.

2- Your package is almost all packed. I will mail it on Tuesday and am excited for you to get it. Anything else you need?
     -Yahooo!!! I am stoked! I can't wait! I am sure excited to receive it! I think that you have done a pretty good job at it so I think that I'm all set! Thank you!

3- Shelby's birthday was on the 3rd and Kevin's is in Tuesday the 7th.
     -Make sure to tell them both Happy Birthday and that I wish them a good day! And that I will be there in a couple to celebrate with them their next!

4- Did eating cat make you sick at all? (I sent him the comments that were posted on FB about the cat dinner!)
     -Not at all! It was cooked really good... And once you got past the fact that you were eating cat, it was fine! I mean I don’t think that I will go out of my way to eat it again, but I mean if it's there I'll eat it! Hahaha and I laughed out loud when I read Brian’s comment! What a good guy. Don't tell him I said that though... Wouldn't want it to go to his head ;)