I am loving my new companion, Elder Ouonnebo!

Elder Layton, Elder Caycho and my New Companion Elder Ouonnebo!

Dear Parents, Family, Friends,

    Bonjour! It was good to hear from you today! It sounds like everyone is doing good and loving life. That makes me happy to hear! I am missing my favorite time of the year right now! Harvest, playoffs, the weather, Halloween in a couple weeks... Man! It's all good though... I even think that Elder Ouonnebo and myself will dress up and go trick or treating! Nah just kidding... People would think that we were some voodoo worshipers and that wouldn't be so good... So I think I might just buy some penny candy and eat them in my apartment... That'll be a hoot as well ;) Heck I could dress up myself! That'll be cool! I'll send pics. It sounds like football was pretty exciting as well. Rough for Will’s team... But they will get there one day. And good to hear about Jackson too! I bet they are having a good time. Is Kevin the head coach? If so, kudos to him! That is awesome. I hear Bountiful has Skyline for their first game. That'll be a good one. And that is super crazy about East... They should just get rid of their program all together! Huh!? Oh well... We beat ‘em. Seeing those pictures of Lagoon brought back good memories! I haven't gone there forever! Maybe when I get home. Everyone looks healthy and happy and that makes me happy! And healthy too I guess. Healthy spirit!

     This week has gone by a little slower than the others... Just because of the transfer. It seems like every time I get a new comp the week goes a little slower. Just showing them around, getting all settled in, stuff like that. But never the less, it was still a good week! Elder Ouonnebo got here Wednesday night and Elder Ndaye left Thursday morning. So we had a threesome and that was pretty weird haha. I am loving my new companion, Elder Ouonnebo! First off, he is Ivorian  second off, he is actually my age! So it is fun to be with him! We actually talk a lot together and I have learned a lot of french from that. The Congolese don't speak awesome french seeing that it is not their native tongue. But for the Ivorians it is their native language so they speak it a lot better! And yes you're right, Kimzey ended up staying where he is at and I got a nex Frenchie! He just barely got to Africa and is being trained by Elder Bukasa. He is pretty cool and his French is absolutely amazing! I could listen to him talk all day... That sounds kinda weird but it is true! I am totally going to pick up my accent from him now! I told him that American girls think that French is sexy language and he said if that was the case then he was going to move there when he gets back... Haha. I told him that I was going to start talking like him and he said that was cool. So, yay! No more African accent for this guy... Being the lone American isn't as hard as I thought it would be. I actually like it! It is easier to concentrate... There isn't another person to just sit and talk to when you could be studying, so that is a plus. I am sure I will get sick of it though. I guess we will see! It could be a lot worse...  And we all know that that wouldn't be any good... So yeah the transfer went really good and everything in that area is just fine and dandy. I have Elder Baird  in the sector now that shares our building so I see him a lot which is cool.

     Other than all of that, this week has gone by like all the others! We should be having a baptism this Saturday with a girl that we are teaching who is a friend of a member. She doesn't speak any French so we have a member translate for us which works out fine. From what I understand is that she is super interested and excited to be baptized. Elder Caycho called me today and told me that I got my packages and they are in the office! So I am excited to get those! I won't get them till next week probably. But in advance, thank you! Ugh my gosh.... Guy looking at porn right next to me, that is what I need! What is wrong with people? First off you are messed up for looking at that anyways and second off if you're going to look at don't do it in public! Sick minded freak... Oh hey is gone now! That is good... Thought I would let you in on that little "in the moment" event that just occurred. No need to worry, all is well, the gospel is still true :) 

     I don't have much more to write other than what I have already said... Oh but yeah I do have some stuff that came to mind that you would send in a next package! Wingers sauce... Duh. SLAP CHOP! Do they even make those anymore...? More of a joke but like really if it's possible, heck why not! Tell Sam to watch the Slap Chop remix and think of me while watching. Good times... And face wash too... I found another bottle in my bag and have been using it and my face is already fine again... It is the DAILY SCRUB kind that is blue... Not the one that is smooth but it has the little beads in it... So if you could just send some of that in each package you send that would be cool... Thanks :) and that is about all I can think of!

     The weeks are flying by, and I can't believe I only have 7 more weeks till my year mark!! Are you kidding me? SHEESH! That is insane. I will be home before I know it. I know I say it often, but I would not trade this experience I am having for anything in the world. I know that I am growing and gaining knowledge that I couldn't elsewhere. Thank you as well for your support and all that you do for me. I love you all and wish you a great week! I continue to pray for you always. Have a great day!

                                                            Love,
                                                                 Elder Landon Dean Layton

Agathe and I making some mashed up bananas! They deep fry it after and
 it tastes super good!

dad- Elder Layton, are you on line?

elder- Yes I am! How are you?

dad- I am good! Just sitting here at my desk. I was thinking about you so I thought I would see if you were there. So how is your new companion? Did I understand that you are now the senior companion? How is that going?

elder- Oh well thank you for your email! Yeah you did hear that! It has been going good! More responsibility, but I like it! Now when our lessons don't hold, which happens almost everyday, it is up to me to know what to do haha. But it is good! I like it a lot!

dad- Well it is a lot of responsibility. But that’s one thing that I've never worried about with you. Whenever you have been asked to step up for the most part you have always done so. You will do well. Use all of your resources and follow the Spirit! Rely on the Spirit to guide you. We pray everyday that you will be led by the spirit to those who would hear and accept your message. Sounds like you are enjoying the area where you serve. Are the members willing to help? Do they try to get you people to teach? That is always nice when you can hook those you teach with good active strong members. Helps them for when you leave which can be hard on them and you! So anything exciting going on today? Do you see the Leavitts at all?  

elder- Thanks dad! You're the bomb .com. I know it'll be different but I am excited! The members here are really strong and they actually love to work with the missionaries! We work with a member named Nestor every Thursday. It is nice because sometimes you meet people that don't speak any french so he has to translate for us into their language. We get a lot of contacts from families in our area too so that is always nice. Sometimes it is just hard to follow up because they don't have addresses and for the most part no phones either so you just kinda have to go off of chance. The Leavitts came to our church on Sunday but they left right after sacrament. I also saw them driving somewhere earlier today. I think it will be fun with them here in Togo!

dad- That sounds like a challenge if they don’t have a phone. I can see how you have to just walk to their home see if they are there. It’s not like you can call and confirm the appointment before you go. So does the branch have good leadership? If they don’t speak French what do they speak? Are you still talking with the guy from the states?  How is that going? Mom sent you a package with the conference talks. President Monson gave a good talk about not seeing people how they are but how they might become. I think sometimes we are quick to judge someone that won’t be interested or won’t change and we don’t try. But it was a good talk. Not sure when you will get it. Also she sent a birthday package for you too. Now she is working on a Christmas package. Not sure if you are supposed to know about them. But now you do.

Isn’t Sister Leavitt British? From England? Ask her where in England she is from.

elder- Yeah she is from London. That is where Elder Levitt served his mission. I don't know where though so I will ask her and find out! You probably like ate at her house one time or something...

dad- Yeah, I don’t think she would have been Sister Leavitt at that time. So Brother Leavitt served his mission in London? Or somewhere outside of London? You will have to chat them up a bit. Or talk to them and see. That would be crazy if she was from an area close to London and lived there in 1980 while I served there. If she was from the London area she would know about the Great Elder Layton! HAHA!!! No but really she would have heard of me. Lol. I spent a lot of time in the Hyde Park Ward while I was an Assistant. But I was in Gilford, Luton, Frimly, Kingston, Swendon/Oxford, Catford/Peckham. Not that you will remember all of these areas.

elder- I wrote them down so I will ask her! I will for sure talk to them and get some info! I will fill you in about it all next week!! And I am sure that they would have heard about the great Elder Layton!! haha that is for sure!

dad- Sounds good! Well I best let you go. Have a great week! What an awesome experience you are having! Make the best of it will last you a life time! You will reflect on this experience over and over for the next fifty years! You will pull strength from everything you are learning and the trials and blessings you are experiencing. As always I am proud of you! I have so much respect for what you are doing! Keep up the hard work! Have a good week Elder Layton!

Love You!

elder- Haha yeah mom told me about them... So you didn't ruin any surprise! Well I don't know about Christmas... But I am sure that she will let me know sooner or later. The leadership in our branch is really good! Our branch president is a stud. Before I got here I guess there was an issue with some critiquing leadership. So when I got here the President wouldn't even talk to the missionaries. The connection between the missionaries and members was strained... So that had been a challenge in getting that connection back. Just letting them know that we are here to help them, not hinder them.

If they don't speak french, they speak a language called avé. I can speak it enough to tell them that we will come back another day with someone that speaks avé and can translate for us. Haha it is fun to learn it! It is super crazy! I am learning how to bear my testimony in it right now so when I get home I will bare my testimony in some african language! Haha that'll be fun!

mom- Hello! Guess what??? Elder Caycho's brother is in our ward!!!!!!!!

elder- Haha really? Like since forever..? And we just barley figured it out?

mom- Well I guess they moved in a short time ago but yesterday she introduced herself to me after my lesson. That was her first week because of work. She was way nice and pretty. Such a crazy small world. The rest of his family lives in Jersey.

elder- Oh that is super cool! Yeah I knew that he was from Jersey. It really is such a small world!

I wonder if we will be getting a lot more missionaries now that the age change happened. Well we have to go... Bye!! Have a good week!

mom- LOVE YOU!!!

Pics:

1- Elder Caycho and my new comp Ouonnebo!

2-Might as well just start making our wedding announcements now... Just Agathe and I making some mashed up bananas! They deep fry it after and it tastes super good!