Hello!!!
Everything I told you in that letter was true.... believe me I know.
Okay before I forget!!! Hopefully you haven't done it yet. I want to room with Elder Nathan Stewart and Elder Cope (who knows Elder Stewart).... I have the number of Elder Cope....but I forgot it in my room...ahhh. Nathan Rau of course! And also my companion wants to room with us. He's going to apply to BYU soon and he'll get in and everything. His name's Giancarlos Rodriguez. He'll be calling dad in a couple weeks to get into contact. By the time school starts he'll speak English don't worry. (Okay, I know my Spanish is a little rusty, but c'mon.) What's your phone number dad?
Okay....send me what I need to do with all that stuff asap and I'll get permission from President if there's anything I need to do. Thanks!
This week was great!!! We baptized a single mother named Roxana! Her brother got off the mission 2 months ago we call him El Chino so he baptized her. She was honestly really happy. We have other baptism dates and everything so we're still baptizing. Our zone's doing better. We had the only baptism this week here in Independencia but the zone has other dates really soon.
Yesterday we had a lesson with a man named Jose. It was a lesson kind've different than normal. It was a reference from a member of the church but I had heard a lot about him before because we always teach the recent convert next door. I think he's broken about every commandment you can think of ( I won`t go into details). We taught a lesson purely on repentance. I had him read Alma 27-30 and of course we explained it as he read. This is when Alma is calling the people to repentance and tells them some of the things they must do. What is our hope. What our fears are if we don't repent. In the end of the lesson he told us he really wants to change. His daughter doesn't want to get baptized mostly because he told her not to. Now he feels bad cause she's going to parties and everything and he sees his mistake.
I shared with him something that Albert Einstein taught. Example isn't another way to teach. It is the ONLY way to teach. I told him that the only way he can really help his daughter is by showing her what to do by his own example.
Well, I'm still helping my companion not be trunkie. No, joke, he's doing great.
Love,
Elder Layton
Monday, January 25, 2010
Monday, January 18, 2010
Baptisms of Joaquin, Katy and Hermette
MAMA, PAPA!!!
Soooo. The Computers today turned off in the middle of our weekly informe (report) to president and the assistants.... so this will be short even though I feel like writing forever. I knew Elder Rich would get married right away.
(At this point in the letter, he shares a story that I can't share publicly...but pretty crazy stuff. It was about 90% of the email however.)
I just want to tell you that I love yous. I'm doing very well here. Also one of the missionaries in my zone had to go to the hospital yesterday so we visited him. He couldn't breathe...which is really crazy. We were in church when it happened so we had to leave. The best thing though is that we had 3 baptisms and confirmations. Katy and Joaquin, brother and sister got baptized. We're going to work with their family. They're awesome. Also we baptized an old lady named Hermette.
I love the work!!!
Ciao,
Elder Layton
Soooo. The Computers today turned off in the middle of our weekly informe (report) to president and the assistants.... so this will be short even though I feel like writing forever. I knew Elder Rich would get married right away.
(At this point in the letter, he shares a story that I can't share publicly...but pretty crazy stuff. It was about 90% of the email however.)
I just want to tell you that I love yous. I'm doing very well here. Also one of the missionaries in my zone had to go to the hospital yesterday so we visited him. He couldn't breathe...which is really crazy. We were in church when it happened so we had to leave. The best thing though is that we had 3 baptisms and confirmations. Katy and Joaquin, brother and sister got baptized. We're going to work with their family. They're awesome. Also we baptized an old lady named Hermette.
I love the work!!!
Ciao,
Elder Layton
Monday, January 11, 2010
Baptisms of Sheyla and Anthony
Family and Friends,
I'm not going to be able to write that much today. I had a lot to write President and the Assistants about the zone.
I was reading in Second Nephi today. In chapter 30 verse 2, Nephi is talking about the covenant people. I was impressed by how strict the Lord is with the covenants that we make. When the people repent of their sins, they are of the covenant, when they don't repent, they're not a part of it. Then Nephi says again in the same verse that the Lord makes no covenant with anyone but those who repent. Many times I feel like I'm not repenting constantly. I get to a certain point and forget what I still need to do. Directly after this Nephi talks about the Book of Mormon. He says that the people will rejoice because that book will help them convert into a pure and delightful people, or in other words, a covenant people. For anyone reading this I would invite them to remember thy God and Jesus Christ who he sent to this world. I know they love us. To have the eternal life all the prophets have always talked about we must repent and be baptized and believe on the words of Christ and to remember these covenants until the end of our lives. These things I pray, that each one of you can remember those things that you've promised.
On Friday we baptized Sheyla and Anthony, brother and sister. We're also teaching their mom but she hasn't had time to listen to us. They were confirmed like normal on Sunday and things are great.
Okay.... the changes!!!! I'm going HERE in Independencia again. My dad Elder Acevedo is leaving back to Puente Piedra, the same place he and I were at when I came to Peru. The same place I lived when I was with Elder Gomez. Haha. Sometimes the transfers can be weird like that. I'm going to kill my first companion this next change. His name's Elder Rodriguez from here in Lima Peru! He's had a lot of success in times past so I'm excited to work with him. Okay....to explain why I'm going to kill him. That means that this next transfer is his last transfer.... soooo he might be thinking a little of home and everything, but I'm not worried about it. We're going to work harder than ever.
The new liahona's awesome. I don't exactly have one yet.... I'm dying to have one actually. The members all received them yesterday but none of them wanted to give one to me! Hm....
Well I love you all, keep writing me!,
Elder Layton
I'm not going to be able to write that much today. I had a lot to write President and the Assistants about the zone.
I was reading in Second Nephi today. In chapter 30 verse 2, Nephi is talking about the covenant people. I was impressed by how strict the Lord is with the covenants that we make. When the people repent of their sins, they are of the covenant, when they don't repent, they're not a part of it. Then Nephi says again in the same verse that the Lord makes no covenant with anyone but those who repent. Many times I feel like I'm not repenting constantly. I get to a certain point and forget what I still need to do. Directly after this Nephi talks about the Book of Mormon. He says that the people will rejoice because that book will help them convert into a pure and delightful people, or in other words, a covenant people. For anyone reading this I would invite them to remember thy God and Jesus Christ who he sent to this world. I know they love us. To have the eternal life all the prophets have always talked about we must repent and be baptized and believe on the words of Christ and to remember these covenants until the end of our lives. These things I pray, that each one of you can remember those things that you've promised.
On Friday we baptized Sheyla and Anthony, brother and sister. We're also teaching their mom but she hasn't had time to listen to us. They were confirmed like normal on Sunday and things are great.
Okay.... the changes!!!! I'm going HERE in Independencia again. My dad Elder Acevedo is leaving back to Puente Piedra, the same place he and I were at when I came to Peru. The same place I lived when I was with Elder Gomez. Haha. Sometimes the transfers can be weird like that. I'm going to kill my first companion this next change. His name's Elder Rodriguez from here in Lima Peru! He's had a lot of success in times past so I'm excited to work with him. Okay....to explain why I'm going to kill him. That means that this next transfer is his last transfer.... soooo he might be thinking a little of home and everything, but I'm not worried about it. We're going to work harder than ever.
The new liahona's awesome. I don't exactly have one yet.... I'm dying to have one actually. The members all received them yesterday but none of them wanted to give one to me! Hm....
Well I love you all, keep writing me!,
Elder Layton
Monday, January 4, 2010
This Whole Week He Felt Something Inside He Couldn't Explain
HI!!!!
Buenos Dias, I just really couldn't be happier right now. You remember Jose Valverde right? This Sunday he came to church...with his entire family. He told me during the second hour that he went to a Christian church Saturday with his family and then during the night he read part of the Book of Mormon with his family. He told me that this whole week he felt something inside of him he couldn't even explain but it was nothing he's ever felt before. He told me the church was a lot different than other churches. It was funny too because for being the new year he and his wife left the church with the new principles of the gospel manuals and other things so I think they were happy about that. Maybe in the states that's normal.....here, a book seems worth a little more. But really I feel happy he's progressing and everything. He has yet to accept a baptism date I think because of past experiences but I know he`ll be baptized because he`s actually looking for the truth and so I know without any doubt he`ll find it and he and his wife and kids will be baptized with him. I only hope it`s when I'm here.
Okay I also have to ask for forgiveness. I forget to tell you about one of my baptisms!!!....on the phone and when I wrote last week hahaa, I think I forgot pretty much everything actually. But Mario was baptized. He actually doesn't live in our ward but since the sisters moved out and the Earls (the Gringos, the white missionary couple) are in the MTC, we've been teaching him. We passed by last night too and he seems to be doing well.
New Years was bigger than Christmas. We flew kites at 12:00 on top of our roof. I have NO idea HOW they didn't get blown to smithereens!!! So many fireworks blew up all around them. We also made cardboard helmets last pday to be able to be up there. The fireworks were blowing up all around us.
About rooming.... I would LOVE rooming with Nate...Elder Rau. South of campus is where it's at though. I'm serious. I don`t know if it would more than an apartment but there`s a bunch of small little houses that we could live in I don`t know. Them cheapest thing you can find. But if you can get to know the people we'd be living with it'd be better....next week I'll try to give you some information of missionaries that will be going to BYU so maybe we can be with some ex Elders i know!
Well....I love you much!!! Keep writing letters. Chow!
Elder Sean Ryan Layton
Buenos Dias, I just really couldn't be happier right now. You remember Jose Valverde right? This Sunday he came to church...with his entire family. He told me during the second hour that he went to a Christian church Saturday with his family and then during the night he read part of the Book of Mormon with his family. He told me that this whole week he felt something inside of him he couldn't even explain but it was nothing he's ever felt before. He told me the church was a lot different than other churches. It was funny too because for being the new year he and his wife left the church with the new principles of the gospel manuals and other things so I think they were happy about that. Maybe in the states that's normal.....here, a book seems worth a little more. But really I feel happy he's progressing and everything. He has yet to accept a baptism date I think because of past experiences but I know he`ll be baptized because he`s actually looking for the truth and so I know without any doubt he`ll find it and he and his wife and kids will be baptized with him. I only hope it`s when I'm here.
Okay I also have to ask for forgiveness. I forget to tell you about one of my baptisms!!!....on the phone and when I wrote last week hahaa, I think I forgot pretty much everything actually. But Mario was baptized. He actually doesn't live in our ward but since the sisters moved out and the Earls (the Gringos, the white missionary couple) are in the MTC, we've been teaching him. We passed by last night too and he seems to be doing well.
New Years was bigger than Christmas. We flew kites at 12:00 on top of our roof. I have NO idea HOW they didn't get blown to smithereens!!! So many fireworks blew up all around them. We also made cardboard helmets last pday to be able to be up there. The fireworks were blowing up all around us.
About rooming.... I would LOVE rooming with Nate...Elder Rau. South of campus is where it's at though. I'm serious. I don`t know if it would more than an apartment but there`s a bunch of small little houses that we could live in I don`t know. Them cheapest thing you can find. But if you can get to know the people we'd be living with it'd be better....next week I'll try to give you some information of missionaries that will be going to BYU so maybe we can be with some ex Elders i know!
Well....I love you much!!! Keep writing letters. Chow!
Elder Sean Ryan Layton
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)