I am so glad that I am here.

"My companion and another Ivorian... Just chillin at the beach."

Jackson

Dear family,

     It's December!  Whoo!  Can you even believe that!? Only 11 more days and that'll be a year out here on the mission...  How insane is that!?  I don't know about you, but I can't quite wrap my head around the concept.  I think that I have probably said that about 20 times by now haha but hey, it's true!  Crazy how fast time is going by here.  Well, it was good to hear from you all and how each and every one are doing.  Jackson is looking like he is doing well with his wrestling!  He is such a stud. 

Ben, the "Bandit"!

Loved the picture you sent me.  And Ben looks so cute with the Christmas lights!  He seems like a little bandit!  (That's what they call little kids here who are hyper) Haha bandits.  That is good to hear that the guys at dads work are happy with his work!  Like them, I too am so grateful to have such a stud that's on my side!  Can never lose with that guy that is for sure.  I loved all the Christmas decorations there as well!  As always you love to decorate that Christmas table!  

Kind of a bummer that there is no snow...  The storm a couple weeks ago fooled us!  And I totally forgot about that huge wind storm last year!  That was crazy.  I remember trying to bring our garbage can back up the street and almost getting taken out.  And how full Bountiful High's parking lot got with trees and all the stuff that got blown over.  That is good that that didn't happen again.  It sounds like the family is doing awesome, and that makes me happy and doing awesome as well!  

     This week has been a really good week!  We were able to baptize Augustin and confirm him on Sunday, but for J...  Unfortunately that wasn't the case.  It was actually really upsetting and sad.  She got all ready and came to the church to have her interview before the baptism service, and when she had her interview she had some problems with the questions so we had to post pone her baptism for this Saturday...  She will just have to talk with the District President here to get the okay for her baptism.  Nothing serious, it was just upsetting to see here sitting there while everyone else was getting baptized.  She got all teary eyed and said, "I had to sacrifice so much to be able to come here today, and now next Saturday I don't know if I will be able too..."  Talk about a punch in the gut!  I talked to her for a good 20 minutes and explained to her that it wasn't her fault and it was only because the District President wasn't free to come over.  After a little while she was fine again and I told her I would help her out as much as I could to make up for whatever it was that she had to give up.  I'm not sure but I am guessing some work meaning some money. I tried to pay for her transportation because she came all the way to the church for nothing but she refused... She is going to be baptized next Saturday I am going to make sure of that! She is such a nice lady and she just wants to do the right thing.  We went to her house the following Sunday, yesterday, and she was happy and doing well.  We taught her a lesson and she seemed perfectly happy!  So that made me feel good.  But Augustin is doing well and I guess his brother Ghislain moved...  Haha one day we were like,  "so where is Ghislain, haven't seen him around for awhile..."   And Augustin was like,  "Oh he moved.."  Haha so that was kind of an outta the blue shock for us.  I guess he still comes around from time to time so we will try and talk to him when we can.  Other than that, our sector is going awesome and our amis are progressing!  We should be having a solid month with baptisms every Saturday...  I don't want to curse it because they aren't fixed yet, but I mean we can hope right!  I--- is going good as well. He is such a little rebel...  Came to church late last Sunday wearing normal clothes and said that he was too tired to stay and hungry so he had to leave early...  I guess you gotta work with what ya got.  

"Just 4 best friends doing what we do... on the beach in Africa."

     Today was a pretty fun, eventful day! This morning we left early to go over to the apartment of Souza where Elder Baird, Wolthoff, Lala, and Shumway were to go to the big market here in Lomé.  Elder Wolthoff was buying some last minute stuff before he leaves home and I wanted to start looking around for some material to make some boumbas. They call the material here "pines" BTW.  So I am on the search to find the sickest pines out there to make some for you guys!  And also for myself for sure...  I concluded that you can't really search for the perfect one, because they all are just so crazy and cool.  And there are SOOOO many here too. It is pretty cool.  I will send some pictures of that in another email. After that all the missionaries here in Lomé went to the beach to play some soccer and eat a pig that one of the members cooked for us. That was super fun hanging out all together and seeing Caycho and Shumway!!  It was good to be back together with all of them again.  I will also send some pictures of that. And now here I am sitting at a computer in Africa writing you! That is my day... I have yet to do any laundry, or clean the apartment... So I will probably do that when I get home. 

     Like your week, not much really went on this week...  A lot of walking, talking, teaching, and testifying. That can sum up my week right there.  The work is still going good..  And I am so glad that I am here.  When I talk and watch the new missionaries here, it blows my mind that that was me a year ago. I am just so stoked for them to only be starting their experience here because they really don't know how much it is going to change them! I love you family so much!  And I pray for you always.  I really feel your prayers here as well and know that they are helping out a ton!  Thank you so much for all you do for me, and have an awesome day/week.

                                                                 Love,
                                                                       Elder Landon Dean Layton

PS;
   - Congratulate Jessie Noakes on my part! And tell her that I will be sure to keep an eye on Brandon for her when we both get home... (Brandon and I)

1- Do they decorate much for Christmas in Africa?
   - I haven't seen anything yet... I was in a Taxi and heard some "chestnuts roasting on an open fire" which was pretty cool! But no decorations...

2- Have you heard if you'll be able to Skype at Christmas or not? If we can't Skype then we'll at least get to talk on the phone :)
   - Haven't heard any specifics on that yet... I will let you know asap once I find out. I don't get your hopes up for skype though...

3- How is your jammed finger? Did it make a full recovery?
   - Doing great! Jammed fingers are nothing... I am a man.

4- Do you have DVD players in your apartments? Do most people there have DVD players?
   - Yes that is the DVD that I was talking about! We do have DVD players in the apartments of those that are training a new missionary because we watch The District. The short video clips that dad and I watched together before I left.

"Just about to leave the Market to the Beach! Like my hat...?
 Thanks, got it for 2 bucks. Made by a lady."

"An association of Taxi drivers that were all wearing the same colored shirts...
You can't just not take a picture with them."