Chit~Chat

"We just finished eating lunch together. It was the Anfame apartment prize for getting a perfect score during the July apartment inspection. They are a delightful group of Elders. We thought you'd enjoy the picture. Elder Eastmond and Sister Eastmond"

Hello to the Elder Layton Missionary Group,

Today’s email time was spent “chatting”, emailing back and forth, with each other. I (Michelle) didn’t write him an official letter this week due to a crazy day Sunday so he told me, “No letter from you means no letter from me right?! That is the way that it goes!!.” I was expecting that and figured we’d just chat. This was a first for us and it was actually fine but for this week only! I do love to hear what he comes up with and hear him bear his testimony. I’m pretty sure that we won’t get that when he gets home (in writing anyway) so I’ll take it while we can. It’s also fun to see his growth in the gospel in his emails.

I’ll write some things from today’s conversation as to how Elder Layton’s doing and what he had to say.

-He asked if we had his CTR ring size because his ring fits an Ivorian missionary there and he would like one for him. When he asked me the size I thought it had been lost or stolen but nope. I don’t have the size but am going to call the jewelry store and see if they have it. I can come up with 2 different sizes that it could be. I am also going to look through his pre mission things for it.

-He said that Zone Conference was really good and that he taught a lesson on Daily Planning. He felt that it went really well and that President Weed told him like 3 times that it was really good and I know that made him feel happy. (Elder Poll also gave a lesson.) He also had Zone Leader Training and President Weed gave a lesson on Following Christ that he said was really good.  He sure is happy with his mission President and looks up to him a lot.

-Transfers are this week and it’s a small transfer. He will stay put and told me that Elder Gundersen is going to Benin and Elder Burkhart is replacing him in his zone. They were MTC companions (Burkhart). There are 16 African missionaries leaving in the next month and a half so after that there will be a lot of changes.

-I asked him if he had a release date yet and he said no and that he won’t get that for a couple of months. His companion goes home next month and he doesn’t have his date yet. TIA (This is Africa) is a well known, commonly used term.

- He told me how much he loves singing country music and that I’m supposed to tell his Uncle Lee that he would like him to teach him to play the guitar and sing! Ha! Got that Lee? Get ready for a student ;) I told him I was sure he’d teach him and he said, “How would that work? He lives far away.” (South Jordan) I informed him that we have cars here in America! He responded with, “Oh that’s true… haha.” Said that he was being 100% serious and has thought about it a lot!!  He thinks his Uncle Lee is a pretty cool guy! Then he said, “You should probably put him on current of that..” What language is this boy speaking anyway? And who ever thought he wanted to be a country singer? Not me! He can carry a tune though.

-Before he forgets he wanted to know, “What is grandpa’s truck doing? Is it ready for me to drive when I get back?” I called my mom and informed her that his love for grandpa’s truck is still alive and well! She informed me that yes he could drive it until he gets his own car. Elder Layton dreams of his Bronco he once had but then he said, “My mind is always changing… Bronco, then Tacoma, then Bronco, then Tacoma to Corvette, then back to Bronco.”  I’m happy to know that he’s still a 20 year old young man with dreams of cars! I told him a Corvette was a bit extreme and he said, “Hey! You can get a solid one for 4 grand.” I’ve seen his bank account and I’m pretty sure it doesn’t have 4 grand in it! ;) He informed me that there is a lot of time to think about that kind of stuff!

-They had a baptism with two little kids in their branch on Saturday and he met some new elders… Elders Rybin, Buxton, and Hales. I told him I knew Elder Hales mom and he said that he was doing well.

-They won cleanest apartment again! Elder and Sister Eastmond took them to lunch at Akif’s today as their prize and emailed me the picture!!! Wahoo! I miss his face!

-Said he thinks that he will go to school at Weber State so he could live at home. That does not break my heart AT ALL!!! He changes his mind often though so we will see how that all shakes down. He would love to be able to try and play football but does need a couple surgeries first. He has a cyst by his tailbone and it hurts to do sit-ups (we knew about this) and his wrists still hurt him when he lifts weights. He’s had cortisone shots in his wrists before and had to have them wrapped for high school football.  I told him all he needed was the desire and to hard work and he said, “And those two things I have learned on the mission! I just need to have the cyst and wrists taken care of.”  I then told him that could be his first country song, “Cysts and Wrists.” He laughed at me J

-His sister Lindsay, Kevin and their 3 kiddos are moving from Vancouver, WA to Henderson, Nevada with a job promotion with Goodyear, leaving the rain forest for the desert. He told them… Dang! You guys will have quite the location being closer to Utah, the beach and Disneyland within a short drive. I am sad that you won’t be in Portland anymore though! He was only able to visit them there once before “the mission” as he calls it, and he loved it very much. I’m happy he was able to see the PNW before he left though. Such a beautiful place for sure!

That’s pretty much what I got from him. We’re sure happy that he is happy and loving his mission! Thank you all for your added support and extra prayers in his behalf. His mission has been such a blessing to us and we are so grateful for his service. It’s going by super fast.

Love to all, 

Michelle Layton

*I love Missionary MOMdays!

Oh Dear. Would you look at that
beautiful blue sky and green grass!

My missionary mom friend Laura Kunz just sent me this picture of Landon that her son emailed her today. 

Thank you! 

Oh dear! He's such a goof and I love it! Enjoy. This is the only "real" chapel in the mission and it's in Togo. It just opened up a few months ago so it's pretty good stuff!! 

Isn't it so pretty?!