What are ya gonna do, ground me?

Just eatin' some Rice and Fish...
Doesn't quite taste like the fish that dad makes, but it was good!

 Dear Family,

     Look at that... SEPTEMBER! Holy cow... That is absolutely ridiculous!  I cannot, even when I try, which I am doing right now, can't understand that it is already the month of September! I have like, pretty much already been out for a year. That is incredible! I cannot fathom the idea. I know that I say it every time, but time passes quick, this is true. In this week that passed by it sounds like you guys had a good time! Getting work off and being able to play, hanging out, having fun! Sounds like a great time! I loved the pictures that you sent me of Skyline Drive! That is among one of the first places that I want to go when I get home... I loved those pictures! Thank you so much. It sounds like Shelby is excited for school to start as well! That will be such a good opportunity for her! She will have an awesome experience at Bountiful. Even if it is hard at first, it'll turn out for sure. This I know. And The Waterfields and Leishmans went to St. George! That sounds like fun too! Except for Sam and Kylee are all old farts now and take a baby with them everywhere they go... They are "that one couple" now! Hahaha I am kidding! Mostly but for real that sounds like it was a hoot! 

     And sorry we probably won’t get to chat today... We are going to a cook out in Attiegou and eating a roasted pig! So we had to come early... Next week maybe :) I always love hearing how well you guys are all doing and the fun that you are all having! Enjoying the summer fun. I think you guys have forgotten how much better everything was and more fun things were when I was there... I guess that will just be a little treat for you all in December of 2013... Haha joke again. Sorry. Good to hear. Jackson looks HUGE too! My goodness! And a size 12 shoe? That is just sick... That is a size and a half bigger than mine! And like 3 sizes bigger than dads.... Haha kidding again. He is gonna be a stud! He is a stud already! I loved seeing the pictures of him in his football stuff! Looks like a natural athlete! I cannot believe when I get back he will be a Freshman in High school. That is just crazy. Time, time, where have you gone...

4 Elders pulling the pig out of the ground that had been
 smoking for 2 days! Mmmmm :)

      For me out here in the mission field, things are going just fine and dandy. Loving the work, working hard, and reaping benefits. We got the transfer calls last night around 2 o'clock and found out that: Elder Ilunga is going to Tokoin, about 20 minutes away from our area now, where the church started actually here in Togo. Elder Owusu, who came with me to Ablogamé, is moving to Bé Kpota to be a Zone Leader with Elder Harding. My new companion will be Elder Ndaye,  (from the Congo), and I actually lived with him in Gbegamey. He is a cool guy and I am excited to work with him!  And Elder Bukasa will come to be the district leader and new companions with Elder Montross. So we can say goodbye to our apartment of 3 English speakers, seeing the Owusu is from Ghana, and welcome the "2 and 2", like usual. I feel that I will get to know Elder Montross a lot better with us being the only English speakers in the apartment. I am excited for the change though! It will be a good one I think! I have a better feel about the sector here than I did when I was the one who knew the sector when Elder Tshionyi came to Gbegamey. I don't know if you remember or not but I was super nervous about it! I still don't know the sector perfectly here, but I feel a lot more comfortable than I did last time this took place! So I am excited. Oh yeah and Shumway is coming back to Togo! So I will get to see him! He is going to be in a different Zone, but whenever we get together and do anything as Zones we will see each other. So I am excited for that! And my first companion, Elder Ngombua, is the new assistant. Elder Bokolo is going home this week. But Elder McCray is staying the assistant. I am excited for that too. Elder Ngumbua was a good guy and he will be a good assistant!  That is about it for Transfers concerning me...

       This week we had the Zone Conference for all of Togo! It was super fun to see everyone together again. Despite the fact that we were just recently together for the soccer tournament, service project, and again today for the roast, it was still fun to see everyone! I got to see Elder McCray after a long absence so that was fun. We had a good lesson from Elder Bokolo and of course President Weed. He just talked about missionary stuff. And something he harped on was our responsibility as missionaries. Not how we need to step it up, but how we need to lay off... Speaking about chastising the leaders that are here in the branch. I guess that is something that happens here a lot is that some missionaries tell the Branch Presidents what to do and how to do there job, but that is not our responsibility. How we are here to help them and anything they need, not to correct them. I dunno just a little something of all the stuff that we talked about. It was really good and a lot of fun. We ate rice and fish and talked and hung out for awhile. I also got called up for my birthday along with other missionaries who will have their birthday before the next Zone Conference and I got a candy bar and a tie! It was nice. I know people took pictures of it, but I didn't think about it... So I will try and hunt one down and send it to you guys another time.

Missionary love... We all love one another as Elder Harding 
is expressing in this picture. My beloved Zone Leader.

     So that is about everything that happened this week... The march and rebellion is over with, no more worries with that thank goodness. I forgot a picture of me doing laundry again I just realized... Sorry! What are ya gonna do, ground me? Haha get it? There is no way... (I've been asking for a "Laundry" picture but he told me he does his laundry in his underwear and never has his camera but I really want to see him doing his wash in a bucket!)... But yeah we will get our new comps this Wednesday morning, then it is back to work. I will right more about Elder Ndaye when I get to know him a little more. Hopefully we will be able to work more effectively in our sector than we did with Elder Ilunga. I guess these are all things that will prove themselves over time! I guess I could talk a little bit about the Liahona that I have been reading the month of August! We just got it at Zone Conference. I absolutely love it! I love reading the messages that are written in there and how they apply to you, no matter where you are! I loved the talk/address that Elder Holland gave at some Christian Leader meeting thing about our beliefs in Christ and in our Church. I love how straight forward he is in his teachings. And I cannot believe that so many people don't think that we are Christians! HELLO PEOPLE! We are members of The Church of JESUS CHRIST of Latter-Day Saints! Crazy what some people can think, before they make an effort to know. Growing up in Utah I just assumed that everyone knew what our religion was about. But after talking to Elders that are from different states, and even people here that have heard of our church, that is not the case at all... Like how they think we can't use electricity and aren't Christian like I said. I mean I could go on and on but I think that we get the idea here. I hope that people will get to know what we are really about, and that we aren't "those weird Mormons" that people think of. That is something that I think Mitt Romney had helped a lot with! I mean, I am kind of blowing smoke here because I have no idea seeing that I am here, and if I were home I probably wouldn't follow haha but now that it is concerning our Church I think it is cool! I am now rambling. But I know that as missionaries, if we work hard, we can minimize those beliefs that people have of us, and let them know the truth.

     Well THIS is where I like to tell you that I am so grateful for all that you do for me everyday of my life. Even though you are so far away. I feel your prayers and love throughout my hot, sweating working days, and it reassures me that I am here, doing what I am supposed to do. I hope you all have an awesome week and always remember to thank God everyday for all that you have. Thank you so much!!! I can't wait to hear back from you next week!

                                                          -Elder Landon Dean Layton

Pictures:

1:  Just eatin' some Rice and Fish... Doesn't quite taste like the fish that dad makes, but it was good!

2:  Missionary love... We all love one another as Elder Harding is expressing in this picture. My beloved Zone Leader.

From the Leavitt's Weekly Journal (Sr. Couple from Arizona)...

"We have attached a picture to illustrate how much the members in Togo love to clean their buildings.  They feel honored to do so.  They do not have all the sophisticated equipment we house in our buildings or, for that matter buildings that resemble our buildings, but they go to work carrying buckets of water on their heads and scrubbing the floors with old brooms then drying and polishing them with towels on their feet." 

"These young women are in the street outside the Doumassesse Branch building sweeping the street dirt and trash surrounding their meeting house so that on the Sabbath it looks perfect.  Don’t you love their little African stick brooms.  Now when it is your turn to clean your building think of what they do and the whole time they are doing it they are laughing and singing and having a great time."