"I know that he is going to make an awesome member!! Stoked to see him progress."

~ Innocent's Baptism 9.22.12 ~

Dearest Family,

     Well hello there! Geez it is good to write you this week... Seems like yesterday that I was just writing you. Not really though, because yesterday was when Innocent was being confirmed a member of L'EGLISE DE JESUS-CHRIST DES SAINTS DES DERNIERS!!! We cut it close though... I will for sure explain that whole situation later on in my email. But first off, I want to say thank you for your letter and it sounds like everyone is doing fine and dandy! Football, winning, camping, hanging out. It sounds like life is going good in your neck of the woods! And that always makes me happy to hear. That is super cool that you guys just decided to up and go camping on Saturday! Gotta love the luxury of doing that! That is kinda like me sometimes... I'm all like, "hey, I'm just gonna sleep on the roof tonight!" But then I don't because I would die of 

heat/malaria at the same time. So I just stay in my room. But for your guys, that is super fun! Those pictures were absolutely amazing! I haven't seen any leaves like that, and water that doesn't have human feces in it for that matter, for along time! So thank you for that :) Make sure to tell Jackson good job on his awesome win and to keep up the good work!

Strawberry Bay~Soldier Creek~Wasatch State Park 
~Camping in the Fall~

      Like you all back home, I am doing amazing here as well! Weather not too bad, progressing amis, MY AMAZING BOX THAT I GOT FRIDAY, and just everything over all, I am doing better than 10 melons! Stoked as always to be enlisted in the work. As I stated above, my box came along with the Leavitts this Friday when they came to do apartment inspections. Needless to day, we did not win this time... We didn't plan for it this time and it bit us in the hind side! But, there are 14 more chances I have to win, so I ain't sad! Loved everything in the box by the way... Canned chicken, great idea!! I put that in my spaghetti sauce and it was amazing! And speaking of my food... You have to realize that I have been eating crappy food for the last 8 months of my life. So what tastes really good to me, would be totally different to you! So if, or when I do cook spaghetti when I get back, haha I guess you guys will be the judge of it! But yeah loved everything in there! Pictures, football, calendar, food, all of it. Great work there mamma :) Apart from the box, the week had some other great highlights as well! One of them being Innocents baptism!

     We passed by his house Thursday night to finish up some lessons and just tighten all the loose ends, if there were any, and gave him the pre-interview questions. Which is just so that he will know what to except in the interview with the district leader, who is Elder Bukasa. We were going through the questions with him, which are yes or no questions. After about an hour and a half, we finally made it to the end, after much discussion. We got hung up on the Law of Chastity question and "what if" scenarios forever. Then there was a, "yeah okay, I can respect that".  I love the guy. The next Friday we went to the church and gave him his last lessons. Just confirming everything and making sure everything was good to go. He was super excited and ready to have his interview! So he went in and had it and all went well. He was super stoked about it!

Saturday comes around and the service was supposed to be at 3:00. We get there at 2:30 and the door to the church is closed and the font is empty... The branch president showed up and we try to start filling up the font, but the pump wasn't pulling any water. So we messed around with that for at least and hour and a half when we just finally decided to go to another branch to do the baptism. We all crammed into a taxi and made our way down to Tokoin. Innocent was fine with it and the other missionaries were just ending with their service so the timing was perfect. I was going to baptize him but one of the members, that worked with Innocent, said that he wanted to do it and Innocent agreed. So I was all for it and he went through and did the baptism! It went perfect and I was super happy about it! It was quite the scene to finally see him walk down those steps into the font... I know that he is going to make an awesome member!! Stoked to see him progress.

That Sunday, yesterday, I gave him one of my ties and a hymn book and he was ready to be confirmed. I tied his tie for him, he didn't know how, and had him tuck in his shirt. He was not happy about that and didn't want to wear the tie because he said he looked "ridiculous!" After some of the other members talked him into it, he was fine! Or as I thought... when he got called up for the confirmation, he wasn't wearing his tie and his shirt was untucked! I told him I was super mad and he promised me that he would wear it next week! Whatever works I guess... ;) We will now start preparing him for the priesthood and we will continue teaching him. I don't know how many times we considered dropping him because there was such a long time when he did not progress. But thanks to the spirit and humble prayer, he was able to find the waters of baptism! I love the guy!

     So yeah there is the whole experience of the baptism with Innocent! I thank you for your prayers and all that you did to help him with his choice. I know that your prayers were answered. Me, along with Innocent, are so grateful for them! So that about sums up my week right there... 

This week we are having an activity at the beach with the branch so I will be sure to take pictures of that. Today has been a normal p day. We went to Champion market and I bought some PRINGLES! Cool right?? I also bought some tortillas and ketchup.. mmmmm! Thank you so much for your letter and all that you do for me! And for my box too!!! Whoo!!! Okay I best be going... I love you!!

             Love,

                         Elder Landon Dean Layton

  Question:

1- Any ideas for Christmas?     

     -Oh man I couldn't even tell you... I can promise you that anything will be perfect!!