Dear Family,
It is good to get to write to you today! And to get to hear from you as well! You sound like you are all doing really well! That is a bummer that Jordan didn't get her job that she was hoping to get... That's okay though. Those people obviously didn't know what they were missing out on! If I worked for a mortgage company, I would have hired her for sure. But since I don't, I can't. I know that she will find something better for sure. Or maybe she is supposed to stay at Delta..? Who knows! And it sounds like the Strongs had a fun little get away to the coast! It looks like a pretty good time! Where they staying in a teepee? Haha that was cool lookin'. Looks like you had fun at grandma's house too... HAPPY BIRTHDAY GRANDMA! It sounds like everyone is doing so well and happy! And you all know what that means... That Elder Layton is so well and happy too! And still in Togo... So you can stop worrying about that if you have been worrying.. Still here and loving it :)
This week was a really good week! Working with Elder Rantoniana has been such a blessing for sure! I love it so much! Our lessons are organized, we actually talk, and the members talk to us too! It is like a whole new world that I never wanna leave! Well I mean until December 14th comes around... And then I will want to go into the world of America haha. But Togo is still awesome as ever! I love speaking the native language here with the people! They love it! They always freak out when you start speaking Mina because they really have never seen a white man do that haha. So it is always a good way too to start a conversation with people. But then when you find out that they don't even speak French that is when you get yourself into a pickle... Then you just have to resort to hand gestures and walk away... But that only happens sometimes, so that's okay! The language here is a lot easier to speak and learn than the one in Benin. I am working on learning how to bear my testimony in Mina so I can use it for my homecoming talk! That would be a lot cooler than French right? I would have to agree.
So on Saturday we had our baptism with Beatrice and her son David! They were all so excited about it! It was in the new chapel that I saw for the first time so that was really cool. The pump wasn't working for the baptismal font though... I guess the fact that we are in a really nice building, doesn't change the fact that we are still in Africa haha. So we have to bring in water from outside and other water sources. We ended up dragging over a big water hose and lead it inside to the font. But when we turned it on, it spit out a bunch of grass into the font! In my head I was thinking, "Why didn't I think to let water run through it first! I know dad would have..." I thought that that was pretty funny that my mind went straight to that! Dad, your skills are needed here in Africa.. We got most of it out, and went forward with the baptism. There were about 6 people that were baptized. Elder Shearer baptized our candidates for us, so that was nice. That next day, yesterday, and Sunday, she was confirmed a member of the church along with her son! She was so happy to finally be a member! She has been waiting for a really long time for her husband to want to get married. He still doesn't want to join the church because he thinks it is a cult and that we have weird doctrine... But he refused to pray about it... So we are kind of at a dead end with him. Maybe he will warm up to it in the near future!
The apartment here is pretty nice like I told you last week. It is nice not to be on a second floor! It is just us and only us. So I don't have to worry about what I am wearing when I am chillin’ on the roof! Because no one can see us! At least I think... If you get a call from President saying that I was arrested for indecent exposure, you will understand why. I am obviously kidding... But from scaring grandma half to death thinking that dad was sick a couple weeks ago, I will clarify! Living with Elder Ne-Kininga has been really fun to! It is fun to be living with another American. His parents are from the Congo, but they live in North Carolina. We free style rap together sometimes... I feel pretty dope when we do that. Beatrice is doing an awesome job with my laundry! She even ironed my shirts! I told her that that wasn't needed.. But she insisted! And then told me that she was going to cook for me every lunch time too... I couldn't refuse that... But it was a challenge trying to get her to accept money for it. She wanted to do it for free! She said that helping the missionaries is good enough pay and she knows that she will be blessed for it... So all of you people that have missionaries nearby, treat them like Soeur Beatrice!
Here is something pretty cool that I could share with your guys. Here in Togo, they have calendar names. Meaning that according to what day of the week you are born on, for example me, 09-11-1992 is a Monday. So if I was born in Togo, my calendar name would be Kojo! It changes for boys and girls... So I will tell you guys each day of the week, and you can find out what your Togolese name is!
Day of the week: Boy: Girl:
Monday Kojo Adjo
Tuesay Komlan Abbla
Wednesday Kokou Akovi
Thursday Yao Eya
Friday Koffi Affi
Saturday Koimi Mimi
Sunday Kossi Akossia
So there ya go! So according to what day of the week you are born on, that is your name! Most people here have like 4 names... Super long! But one of them is always one of these that is above. Then they have a French name, and then their family name. I just thought that that was pretty interesting and that you would like to know that!
Before I close; I was thinking that I needed to give a shout out to one of my best friends in the whole entire world... McKayla Knickrehm! She has been supporting me throughout my whole mission and everyone should know how amazing she is. So, thank you McKayla for being so awesome :) Well that makes this week’s letter... I love you guys so much and I hope that you all have a wonderful week! Until next week, may God be with you till we meet again.
Love your son,
Elder Landon Dean Layton
PS:
Jacob 6: 12 is my favorite scripture now, and I am going to base my life off of it... Maybe I will explain why next week. Haha love you!
12 O be awise; what can I say more?
**Elder Layton told me that he doesn't trust the computers at the cyber he's at so he won't be sending any pictures today. He's not sure if he will at all. Said that many have had viruses form that cyber and doesn't want to risk it. :(
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