We have set for this Saturday,... are you ready for this?... THREE BAPTISMS!! Whooo!

"Mangez-vous (you eat) with a family in our branch! The husband was
at work... It was Sunday night! Very nice of them to have us over."

Hello my family :)

     It was really good to hear from you today! As always I love hearing how everyone is doing and the things that they are doing in their lives. We have yet to hear anything about conference... But luckily Sister Levitt came and gave me some stuff at the church and let me in on the age change for missionaries! That is super cool! That means that kids that are Shelby's age could be coming into the mission while I am here! That is super cool. I think that is an awesome change. That means that pretty much everyone will just leave right after high school! And all girls going at 19 as well that is so crazy! That is gonna put a huge spin on things. In a good way. That is really cool! Thank you for giving me the DL on it too :) And yeah for sure get on sending me the conference so I can read it! I can't wait! 

     It sounds like everyone is doing well! Except for Bountiful... That is a tough loss. I guess they couldn't do what we did and shut out an undefeated East team... ;) Just kidding. That is a bummer that Jord got knocked out of the game too... I am super excited to see what happens this week against Woods Cross and Bountiful. That will be an anticipated email for sure. You'll let me know all the details, right? Hint hint. Haha. 

I said, "Okay, now make a funny face for
Elder Layton. Something to make him smile!"
AND that it DID! :)

     Everyone looked excited for conference too! The weather there looks absolutely to die for! Seeing all of them standing in the sun, in full on suits, not sweating, was a trip! You don't see that here...  And that picture of Grandpa sticking his tongue out!!! Hahaha oh my goodness I have never ever in my whole life witnessed a picture like that with Grandpa! I am still wondering if it was photo shopped... 

And NOW a HANDSOME picture!
Dad, Bro-in-law, Grandpa and Uncle!
~General Priesthood Session~

I loved all the pictures as well! It is always fun to see everyone growing up! Is Levi still dating that one chick or has he got off that bus? (Not literally just like waiting for another girl) Dad quote, can't get mad! And Deb looks so happy! Tell her that she better not like Ben more than she liked me... If that is even possible ;)

     Africa... Things are going really well here! This week has passed by just like all the others, SUPER QUICK! We have set for this Saturday,... are you ready for this?... THREE BAPTISMS!! Whooo! One with Alise, aka Agat (just found that out), one with Kelvin, who I just found out his name is "Kevin" Haha. They say it like Kelvin... And one with Naomie! She is just a friend of a member... I think she is about 17. I will be sure to take a lot of pictures at the baptism for you! 

     This week doing door to door, we found an american teenager from Maryland!! His name is Edwin and just moved here a month ago. He is 17 but looks like he could pass for a 27 year old! He is a big fella and speaks exactly like an american! You don't find people like that here... I will just start from the beginning. So Elder Ndaye and myself knock on this door, it is a pretty nice sized house, and a girl answers it and she is holding a washing bucket. We ask her if we could help her with whatever she was doing and she was like, "well sure why not!" So we followed her into her front yard and she put the bucket down and told us that she was already done... But next time for sure she was going to let us help! Anyways, we introduced ourselves like always and said we were missionaries for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. She invited us to sit down at a table in her garage port and we waited. 

     A couple minutes later she came back accompanied with Edwin. They sat down, and at this point, I didn't even have the slightest idea that he was american. I asked him his name in french and he responded in french, (speaks perfect french too) and a little later on the girl, whose name is Beatrice said, "he speaks english". So assuming that it was just like everyone else who "speaks english" here, I say, "OH HELLO, YOU SPEAK ENGLISH?" Like I was talking to a 2 year old. And he responds in his black man american accent, "Well, yeah I am from Maryland...". I was like WHHHHAATTTT!!?? You like speak english english! Not like african english! He thought that was funny and we talked for about an hour just about whatever... Football, america, about how we both can't wait to go back haha. 

     Then I realized that my companion was just sitting there not understanding anything. So we actually started to do missionary work after a little while when I finally wrapped my head over the fact that he was from America! He gives me kind of a taste of what serving in the states would be like... Usually people see that you are associated with a church and they will join... Okay not that easy JK, but it is a lot more difficult for some reason... He doesn't  believe in God or Christ, or really anything. He was like, "I have been told all my life that there is a God, and he has never showed me love in my life, look where I am now." We have already taught him 3 times and he is already progressing more and more. Slowly, but surely I think that there is a possibility he would get baptized! If not, I will just go over there and talk football with him... Haha just kidding. He is a good kid though that I think just got mixed up with some tough stuff in his life. 

     We had interviews with President Weed and that went good as usual. We talk for about 5 minutes only and then he leaves. Sister Weed always gives us a good lesson on safety or health. She always says that she has decided that her responsibility is to keep the missionaries safe! So that is always fun to hear what she has to say. I was talking to Elder McCray, the assistant, and he told me that he only had 6 months left and that was like a blow to my face! I thought he was lying... Because he even came after Shumway, and had more than a year to go when I got here. But now he only has 6 months left. That is insane! Absolutely insane... I don't even know what to do. The time is passing so fast. Heck, I am going to hit a mission crisis or something like that! 

     I will no longer be a teenager come November 9th... ça c'est ridicule. Also, transfers coming up next Sunday. Gonna see if anything shakes up here in Ablogamé. Montross have been here for almost for than 6 months so we are pretty sure that he is outta here. So I hope that I get someone cool that lives with me! That is if I stay as well... But you never know. My time here had flown by! Just seems like yesterday that I got here. But I have almost done as much time here as I did in Benin!!! Oh my lanta... 

     That is pretty much me this week. Hangin' out, teachin', preachin', eatin', sleepin', sweatin', and repeatin'. Sounds like a pretty nice gig right? I guess I can't complain :) Well I am totally outta here. Thank you so much for all that ya'll do for me. I really do feel your prayers and love here in Africa. Have an awesome week and remember to keep going tough! Love you all.

                                                             -Elder Landon Dean Layton

Pic:
      A "Mangez-vous" with a family in our branch! The husband was at work... It was Sunday night! Very nice of them to have us over.

EMAIL CHAT:

mom: Hi cutie! Thank you for your letter! It's ALWAYS great to hear from you! Sounds like your teaching, and walking is really paying off! Good for you and your companion! Haha ya wasn't that so funny when Gpa stuck out his tongue?? No photoshop there!

elder: Hey!! Haha yeah I loved it! It made me laugh! Montross got a kick out of it as well! *How is the day starting out??

mom: My day is still young but going well! Just got out of the shower and getting getting ready for work. Dad is already gone to work. But my day is good :) I forgot to tell you that I went to lunch with Elder Gunderson's mom on Fri. You have not met him yet I don't think. He was in Togo but is in Benin now. It was fun to meet her :) Are you having a good day?

elder: I do remember him in the MTC a little bit but not really. How did that come about and where did you go?  But yeah my day is going really good! Went to Akif, the hamburger place and that was good!

mom: We went to Olive Garden in Layton. They live by Logan. His mom Kari invited me to go and we are friends on FB. We missionary parents stick together! ;) We had a good visit! Glad you ate at the hamburger place! That makes me happy. It's the little things sometimes right? 

elder: Oh that is cool! Olive garden sounds good... Haha. Do you have any thing fun planned for this week? You are going to go to the Bountiful game right?

mom: Nothing really planned for the week but yes we will go to the game. We also went to the East game but left early. It was freezing cold. I know you probably don't want to hear that though. 

Camping is probably over for the year. We will try and go see one of Jackson's games soon.
Glad you were able to speak with the guy from Maryland! That's cool. Sounds like you'll be a good friend to him too while you teach him!

elder: Yeah I think that he might progress! But that is too bad that camping is over... Does that mean that dad is going to start working on the boat again!?

mom: Yes I think he will again! The seats are in the shop and are all done! It will be fun and nice! I am on my way to work. I will log on when I get there. Love you!

elder: Okay sounds good! But you never sent me a picture of the seats! I wanna see! 

mom: Okay if you're still there, dad is sending me a pic of the seats! :)

 

elder: Oh yeah dang those look really good!! I am excited!

DADS TURN:

dad- Elder Layton, You on line?

elder- Yeah I am!! How are you??

dad- Good Son. Nice to hear you are doing so well. Having success baptizing Gods children! Working hard as always! How’s the companionship? Still good?

I sent you an E-mail today did you get it?

elder- Yeah I did! Thank you for that! I don't know how much longer we are staying here though so I will reply next time. And yeah everything is going really well! Elder Ndaye is a good elder, I like him a lot. And we are finally reaping some benefits out here!

dad- That’s okay not a problem. I got the feeling from your letter that you liked him maybe your best comp so far! When you work well together great thing will happen! Nice to have both of you working and moving in the same direction. I won’t keep you have a great week. Love you!