Branch Activity at the Beach

Me and this kid that was wearing a BRIAN URLACHER shirt!!! Can you believe that!? I just asked him if I could take a picture. He just started at me... But i got it!

Oh my sickness...... OCTOBER!!!

     Well hey there family :) As you can tell by the way that I started my letter... I cannot even begin to start to think of how it is October already! I only have 2 more months till my year mark! Are you joking me!? Where has the time gone?? I sure can't tell you. That is ridiculous! Uhhggg.... I swear I will be home before I know it. And can't really decide if that is a good thing, or a bad thing... I guess only time will tell! Anyways, it sounds like your week has gone by nicely! Going on drives, eating at restaurants, watching the Bears play the Cowboys, just hanging out, sounds like the life! You forgot to mention how much fun you had as well writing your son... :) Just kidding! Thank you for your email though! I always love hearing what everyone is up to and how everyone is doing. And it sounds like everyone is doing great!

     For me out here in Togo, things are going great as well! This week weather wise has been really nice! We even got rain last night and a little bit this morning. I will give you a little run-down of my week last week. After I wrote you and left the Cyber, my companion and I went to the single adults family night at the branch and that was pretty fun. They were talking about the Law of Chastity and they all understood it well. We didn't really teach anything... We just went there to support them. There were probably about 20 people there. It was a good turn out! We even had one of our amis there. He is pretty interesting... He acts like he doesn't want to talk with us at all. But yet he comes to all the activities, church, and respects every rendez-vous. I have yet to figure out his story... So I will keep you posted!

     Tuesday was your typical day as a missionary. We had district meeting which is always nice. Well I mean as nice as meeting can get haha. We just talk about how our amis are progressing and what we can do to better our district all together. Sometimes someone says something that offends someone else and it turns into a babysitting meeting and I hate when that happens! But, more times than not, it is productive! We taught an amis, and we set a baptism date for the 6th of this month. Wasn't at church this last Sunday so technically we can't baptize. We might have to post pone it. But I feel will make it there sooner or later! Talks A TON and super fast... Sometimes it is kind of hard not to laugh when talking because so enthusiastic in all! For example if you ask if  read the scripture that we left will answer, "YES, YES I DID. HOW COULD I NOT? IT IS THE WORD OF GOD AND IN ORDER TO GET INTO THE CELESTRIAL KINGDOM, THAT IS WHAT IT IS CALLED RIGHT? NO WE WILL TALK ABOUT THAT ANOTHER TIME I AM SURE. I HOPE AT LEAST. BUT YEAH OF COURSE I DID READ IT. IT IS THE WORD OF GOD AND YOU NEED TO READ THE WORD OF GOD!!!" Haha so yeah just translate that into French and say it super fast and you got it right there! Cool kid about 25 or somewhere around there.

     Wednesday was a really productive day! We had a really good lesson with a new ami who is 19 and comes from a family of Muslims... Says that knows there is more than that that  needs to know about Christ. Totally right! Because we taught a family member after that and pretty much Muslims just think that Jesus was a prophet and that it is.. So it is really hard to teach a hardcore Muslim. Almost impossible. But is progressing really really well and accepted a baptism date for the 13 of this month. Came to church and liked it we think. I think that sometimes it is hard for people the first time that they come to church because it is kinda boring for them I am sure... They come from dancing and singing praises to the Almighty amen hallelujah there at their church  or whatever and it is hard to compete.. But, I know for a fact that there is something that can't even touch us, and that is the SPIRIT that we have in our classes and meetings. That right there is what is going to convert their people! So I am always thankful for that. We will hope for continuing to progress! Read all of the scriptures we left, plus more! Really nice and has a great heart.

     Thursday, can't really say anything here... Just a lot of teaching and walking! Teaching and walking... They are definitely the longest days for sure. But, it all works out! Friday as well, aren't as exciting as yours at home! Haha. We do weekly planning like usual from 9:30 till 12:00, then I do some laundry and forget to take pictures haha! Sorry. Then at night time we have coordination meeting with the branch missionaries. We usually see the other missionaries from Souza, Elder Woltoff and Winkelman which is always fun. I also saw President and Sister Weed there too. They were interviewing someone that was getting ready for baptism. If they have certain problems, they have to talk with the mission President. It was fun to see them too as always. They talked to us about what went on with Harding and that story... That is rough. So close to the end too! But you gotta do what you gotta do. He will figure it all out and be fine. This I know!

     Saturday we had our activity at the beach!! I was a little nervous when it was 10:00am and we were the only people there... Haha but as 11:00 rolled around a lot of members, and also amis came! It was a blast! We started out playing board games like huge checkers and just different African games that I didn't understand.... But I did take the football that you sent me and that was pretty fun!!  

Me and the Beach with my Football looking like Dan Marino. HUT HUT HUT HUT HIT HIT HIKE!!!!!!

No matter how many times I explained to them that it wasn't a rugby ball, they refused and said that is was rugby! After about 5 times of trying to numerous people, I finally gave up and just said it was a rugby ball haha. It was fun, and funny throwing that around. They were amazed that I could "launch it through my legs upside down" aka long snap it hahaha. They thought it was some cool trick! I mean like yeah I am good at it but come on.. I gotta be humble. After that it just kinda turned into a dance party and everyone was dancing their African dances. There are 2 different kinds of dances here that EVERYONE and their dog knows.

Everyone just dancing and having a good time!

More dancing!

Haha love this picture. Branch president in the red, first counselor in the green, and Young Mens President in the blue! Crazy FUN! I can't wait till you see the videos!

I am in the process of learning it so I will teach it all to you when I get home! It was for sure different than any ward activity or mutual that I have ever been to in my life... But, it was fun and the investigators had a good time as well! We also got a bunch of referrals from members of their friends that came. It was a really good turn out! We ate rice and chicken, typical meal... It was good! I will tell our new 19th ward bishopric how we need to have parties when I get back :) 

     Sunday, we had FIVE amis at church!!! And that is unheard of there in the branch of Ablogamé... Seeing that the church is so far away from our area.... But it was so cool! The branch president was even confused on what was going on and why we had so many people at church! Haha it was great! The other companionship as well had 5 there. So it was a good turn out! Sunday night we have choir practice and that is hit and miss... Elder Montross and I usually just sit out in the front because we can't take the noise that comes from the chapel... We can say that our ward choir is better! Not by much, but a little bit ;) Haha just kidding. But yeah my week went well and passed super quick!

     So yeah there is my mission in a nutshell right there... Walkin', teachin', baptizin'. That is all I can say... Thank you so much for all that you do for me and the support that you give me as well! I know that for a fact that I could not do this without the amazing help that I get from you each and every day of my mission. I pray for everyone of you every day. I wish you a good day and an even better week in all. Keep it fresh fam... I'm outtie 3,000. Peace, love, and temple marriage.

                  Love your son, bro, nephew, uncle, cousin, friend, grandson,
                                                      Elder Landon Dean Layton

PS:
     How am I going to vote...? I know that that is coming up pretty soon. Don't wanna miss my first opportunity to do that! I don't know if you know anything about that... But if you do, let me know!

Just another one of the 3...

Young Mens and Young Womens 3 legged foot race! I didn't know they did that here too... I guess that is pretty cool!

The primary doing there little dance act! It was super funny and fun to watch! I took a video of it as well and you will just have to wait for that when you get my card... Which I don't know when that will happen...

Hahaha cute little kid named "Lehi" Getting ready for the primary dance activity! I thought you would get a kick outta that!

 
Soeur (sister) Delphin and little baby Joseph!
Haha isn't he the coolest though! He is always smiling. That smile in this picture is always on his face!

 
Innocent being all active and mingling with the other people in the branch!! Whooo!

Just my recent convert and I chillin' at the beach!!