On to Beautiful Barranca

Dearest Family and Friends,

I give my thanks to everyone that has helped me grow here in the mission. I especially thank you mom and dad and Aunt Angie, Uncle Byron and ALL of the family for sending me awesome packages that brighten my day and lift my sights with all the fun toys and candy. Thanks Grandma and Grandpa Chiechi for everything you do and Grandma and Grandpa Layton for sending me a letter every week.

Personally I enjoyed Elder Rasbands talk in General Conference in the priesthood session. He described his personal experience of how the missionaries are called to their respective mission. Listening to that experience and his whole talk gave me the strong impression that I've been called here to Peru and without any doubt I know that the Lord wanted me to come here. The experiences are so amazing.

I'm sad right at this point because I'll be leaving Independencia on Wednesday and I have to leave everyone... but I also know without a doubt that the Lord knows my thoughts. Out of the 15 different Zones in my mission there`s only one place I could go out of Lima that's NOT the jungle!!! I'm going to Barranca to finish up my mission!!! I've seen pictures and it's absolutely beautiful. I get to take a bus for 3 hours up north and my new companion's name is Elder Santillan. He was a Señor companion in my zone just two changes back, left our zone as District Leader for two changes, so now I'll be training another Zone leader, but this time for a different mission! Cause I heard that the Elders going up to Barranca are going to be part of the new Peru Lima West when I leave!

My daddy in the mission Elder Acevedo ended his mission about a month back and was called in his new district as Branch President! For some reason I can`t imagine a 21 year-old returned missionary leading a branch of 120 active members. The Lord trusts young people a lot more than I thought. I'm sure he'll divide the branch (there is a little something there lost in the translation.)

It was so amazing this weekend. We baptized Josef Later on Saturday and confirmed him the same day with the permission of Bishop Garcia. Right after the baptism he attended the Priesthood session of conference and honestly I couldn't feel happier watching him listen to a prophet of God right in the moment he had made his first covenant and had received the Gift of the Holy Ghost.

Sooo, I guess I have to ask permission to do my classes and everything. I thought I could wait a little but Ill get right on it. I want to mejor (major) in Chemistry (we're thinking that he still wants to be a Dentist) and I'll be trying out for Men`s Choir so sign me up! I need to take all the classes for Chem mejor and I only want about 14 credits. Also I want to take some basic French classes. Don't laugh I'm serious. Jáime parle francés.

So this is for Nana (who was asked to speak in Sacrament Meeting on Sunday about the blessings that have come to Elder Layton and all of us because of his mission): Before my mission I had a lot of my priorities messed up but now I know that the Lord can guide our lives and loves us. We have to live the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I'm a lot different now cause I work harder, I know how to be happier, and I want to serve the Lord.

Tengan una buena semana,

Elder Layton

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

He Felt a Huge Peace Inside Him

Happy New Years!!!! 2010 Only two years until the end of the World!!! Yay!

It was a privilege to able to talk with you Mom Dad Eric Curtis Nana. I miss you lots! Honestly I felt so nervous and happy I didn't really know what to say ahhaha, but it was my Christmas present and I hope you know it meant a lot to me.

This week was ALMOST normal for us. Yesterday we went on splits with a couple youth that are preparing to go on missions. I went with a kid named Michael in our ward Los Pinos. Elder Acevedo went to the cita (appointment) we had and everything. I went to find new people! We were rejected almost all day. Then, the last visit we had of the day was a man named Jose Valverde. This guy is one of the best new investigators I've ever had. He studied with the Jehova Witnesses for 3 years and was at the point of baptism... but then he felt it wasn't right. He also has gone to the Seventh Day Adventists a lot... he knows a little about a lot of churches, but he knew nothing about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We taught the restoration with Michael and gave him a Book of Mormon. He told me that while we were there he felt a huge peace inside him, like he feels when he reads the Bible. I had him read Galatas 5:22-23 and it made even more sense to him. He said he`s going to read and pray and when he receives his answer he wants to be baptized!!!

Today we're going to play soccer in the church with the zone. I'm not writing that much today cause I need to prepare my presentation for tomorrow in the interviews. I just want to let you know that I love you very much and I'm working hard.

Love,

Elder Layton

Unto Us a Child is Born, Unto Us a Son is Given

Hello Happy Family

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!

I miss you all and everything especially during this time of year. We're still working hard. Lots of things happened this week.

Before I came here as zone leader the sister missionaries had to leave their area. This week a missionary couple, Elder and Hermana Earl entered in our zone. We had district meeting on Tuesday like normal and they came....neither of them speak ANY Spanish so they didn't understand anything. I heard a rumor that President is working on sending them to CCM (mtc in Peru). They were only in the mtc 5 days before they got sent here. They have six kids. 3 married, 3 in missions in Guatemala, Chili, and Philippines. This week Elder Acevedo and I went to their small room to teach them Spanish!!!!hahha, I took pictures with them it's so funny. I haven't seen Gringo adults for a long time..... They're visiting all the members and everything because they really can`t understand anything yet.

Thanks for the packages. I got em from everyone thanks!!!!!! I loved the candy, hot chocolate, the yoyo, pajamas! Today we have the Christmas lunch with President Perez in Chilies.

Soooo, I'll be calling you this Thursday. (WOOHOO, Thursday for 5 minutes and Friday for one hour!)

I was looking at the pictures and everyone's changed a ton. It's kind've weird actually. I'm glad my picture scares everyone.

In almost all my contacts I talk about Christmas. Usually here the most effective contacts are knocking on doors, sincere short contacts asking if we can offer a prayer in their houses and share a short message with them. Yesterday we did a lot of Christmas contacting like this in this time of year we should remember the birth of our Savior and we're sharing a message about Jesus Christ and the Restoration of His Gospel... Just talking about that made several people angry. I contacted 5 members of another Church yesterday I think. One couple told me that Christmas was the Devil and that the God's Kingdom was here or something like that.....

Honestly in those types of contacts it always makes me ponder what Jesus Christ told the young boy Joseph: that all their creeds were an abomination in his sight; that those professors were all corrupt; that: they draw near to me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me, they teach for doctrines the commandments of men, having a form of godliness, but they deny the power thereof. I testified that Christmas was of God and then we left. Since I was a little boy I've never felt happier than on Christmas day. Maybe the presents had part to do with that, at first....but after time and especially right now none of that could even matter.

Our modern day prophet every year has to remind all of us to not get too caught up in the worldly things during this time of year. I've never felt more love for my Savior. My favorite Christmas scripture describes this time of year perfectly: For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder; and his name shall be called, Wonderful, Counselor, The Mighty God JEHOVA, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. I think President Eyring quoted that this year....

I solemnly testify that Christ is our Savior and Redeemer.

Well, have a happy Christmas. Eric I love you. Curtis I love you. Nana, I love you. Mom and Dad I love you talk to you soon.

BYE BYE,

Elder Layton

A Conviction That Leads Us to Love Our Heavenly Father and Others

Hahaha, thanks mom and dad for the letters. My aunts are so funny.... sending you a life size Elder Layton haha. It'd be cool to have a life size cardboard cutout of my family!!! I miss you all lots.

This morning we had to send reports to the offices with the numbers of the zone and about how the zone's doing. We do that every week, as with other things, but nothing really hard. Just work. Also this week we went to a Zone Leader conference where President and the Assistants taught us about our responsibilites, and after we ate pizza. Mmmm pizza.

This week has been crazy. I saw a ton of members from Ermitao. Several times in the street and also last night in the Christmas devotional, which was AMAZING by the way. My ward's a lot bigger now in Los Pinos. More people come than in Mt. Bachelor... well, I haven't been there for a while, but more than when I was there. We have several baptism dates for this Saturday.

I finally sent out my clothes.... I don't think I told you, but recently the people in the mission that washed our clothes was layed off so there was a ton of confusion in the changes and I just ended up washing by hand last week. The thing is... my companion helped me put em all out on the lines outside to dry and it turned out that that line wasn't clean.... so basically everything was dirty again. I'm good now I didn't die. Tomorrow I get clean clothes again.

The zone is doing good. We don't have very many baptism dates as a zone but they've put goals and we're going to have success. Elder Acevedo`s helping me a ton. He's been Zone Leader for a while now and he's been here in this area for a couple transfers so he knows what we have to do. I'm learning a ton from him, and trying to help as much as I can. Today we went and flew kites on top of a huge butte with the zone. YES!!!! It was so fun I just have to say. Also, an abandoned puppy on top of the butte pooped on one of the missionaries in the zone.....

I'd like to share with you something I've learned from my mission. It's conviction. When we believe in something or we want to acheive something before we can do anything....we have to believe we can do it. It's doesn't matter what it is. It's something I've learned from the Gospel too. Especially in repentance. During all the time in my mission I've had to change tons of things but what was the most important to me was that I had conviction to do it. I know the Lord doesn't only want us doing the motions for commitment. We have to have a conviction that leads us to love our Heavenly Father and others. Especially in Christmas, just like the brethren talked about last night, we should remember the pure love of Christ in every thing we do.

Mom, Dad, Nana, Eric, Curtis, hopefully you like the presents I sent home for you. It's extremely creative watch out.

I still haven't met the Bishop. They introduced my on Sunday and I went up and bore my testimony like normal. Bishop is traveling I guess. I did eat lunch in his house today. I've actually eaten there before about 5 months ago.

I'll tell you more about the experiences I'm having in sharing the gospel this week. I really still haven't gotten to know that much yet. All I know is that we have really awesome investigators and it's way to close to Christmas....not really let it snow let it snow let it snow. I think I saw it snow.... oh no, that's dust. Cool. Family, friends I love you soo much. Write me and I'll really try to write you back.

Love,

Elder Layton

(Brenda and I had lunch today with Seth Hurd today. Seth was just released from the Peru Lima North Mission and lives about 30 minutes away from us. He knows Sean very well. He related several amazing experiences and comments about the kind of missionary Sean is. I'll share one of those.

Elder Hurd was in Sean's first area when Sean arrived. Some of the Elders were getting fleas and flea bites. So they were given a spray that would take care of the problem. The thing was, it never made it to Elder Layton, who had been sleeping on the floor. He didn't complain too much and the spray didn't make it his way for 2 weeks.

By the time the Mission President's wife realized that something was wrong, Sean had over 700 flea bites on his body (I'm not sure how they knew that unless someone actually counted).

Seth shared a few other things with us that helped us to understand that Elder Layton is serving an honorable mission for the Lord.

It was good to be able to meet with Seth and to talk with someone who had just come back from Sean's mission and who had just been with him on Monday. Between that and the life-sized Sean cutout sent by his crazy aunts, we almost feel that he's home for Christmas this year. And we get the December 25th phone call too!)

Back to Independencia

Dearest Family,

I just wanted to express my gratitude for every one of you. I feel extremely blessed here in the mission. Jesse looks the same as he left. So does Jacob. Haha man I miss those guys. I'm happy I'm here in the mission still but since I'm the last Elder to end It will be crazy to be able to see everyone in one time.

I'm growing ever more preoccupied with Brianas college life. I think maybe she could go to COCC or something better than her current situation...

Also I just have to say mom I watched the movie UP before you did so I dont have to wait. Remember, every change we watch one Disney movie as a Zone? Thank you President! I loved the movie ahahhaha. Especially the bird thing I would love one of those.

Also I already sent you your Christmas Package so you could just say I'm a little ahead of the game with the movie and now this. Hopefully you like it. Sometime before Christmas you can go pick it up in the house of Elder Hurd who is leaving Peru tomorrow or the next day I think. Here's the directions:

The Hurd Family
#### ## ######## ###.
Redmond, OR
Phone #: 541-###-####

Okay I JUST found out my change how exciting!!!!! Okay. Im going back to Independencia!!! Ill be Zone Leader with my daddy in the mission Elder Acevedo. New responsibilities and everything but being District Leaders helped me a lot.

Im going to miss these people more than I can even describe. The converts I've had here are the best. I said goodbye to the Zorrilla Family last night. Theyre the best. My hijo (kid) Elder Yaez is going to Pucallpa. Im so proud of him for going there. ? Hmmmm. What else?

We have a lot of really good investigators again. A sister named Marcela thats been coming to church and loving it. Another family that just came yesterday. I had invited her to the church outside a high school about a month ago and she remembered the invitation! That's a miracle. Bueno, we have appointments with them. The mom went to all three hours and even went to the conference for parents yesterday at 4 in the afternoon. Shes someone I recognize definitely prepared by the Lord. Theres also a girl named Maria that has been going to church shes the best friend of Paula a recent convert. Also theres a man named Felipe Reyes that is separated from his wife right now and is having family problems. We taught him the law of chastity yesterday and accepted a baptism date. Hes gone to church 3 times and he's progressing. His plan is to forgive his wife, get married, and move in with his family again.

I know the members in the Independencia. I'm going to the ward Pinos and when I was in Ermitao I shared churches with them so its not completely new to me. Hmm tomorrow I'm planning an awesome District Meeting. Of course the last meeting of the change the Elderes leaving give their testimonies. I've also asked the missionaries to bring a picture of their family to the meeting so that tomorrow one by one we can talk about the reasons we came to the mission and how our families are being blessed by the mission service.

I honestly feel like I'm being blessed more than my family. The mission is full of spiritual experiences. But I do know you guys are also having experiences in the church. That's my thought for today. Have experiences.

Merry Christmas.

Love,

Elder Layton

We Have to Know That He Really Suffered and Lived For Us

Dearest Everyone,

Iquitos is the place to be. Right now I'm sitting next to Elder Ridge. Tambien my papa (trainer), Elder Acevedo's here and I here Elder Griffin's in my Zone. The airplane ride to Iquitos wasn't too exciting. We had some unexpected turbulence and Elder Hyde and I were victims of the scalding hot coffee behind us. Elder Hyde got the worst of it I think.

Iquitos is great. It's sand instead of the dirt in Pucallpa so no more dust in our eyes. I think that was the only real downside of my last change.

Our ward mission leader's the best. His wife's our pension and he has a particularly big interest in the work of the Lord.

I'm way excited to get this place moving. It's kind've been hard to start out cause my compi, Elder Hernandez and I (He's Columbian) are opening an area. Basically we do a lot more contacting and working with all the members… not just the less actives. It's great though!! We have two wards so little time on Sunday to work a lot but it's good.

Iquitos is very clean. Compared to Pucallpa the people here are more accepting to the missionaries. I think if we just keep being obedient and diligent we'll be able to have success. It's amazing to be here. I don't miss Pucallpa that much cause I know I'm supposed to be here, but I do miss the people. They were my family. In April Elder Rojas is going to baptize our family of 8…we baptized two already. Yeah, that's about it for the news.

There's more jungle here and we're next to a big river. Oh yeah….my area is 9 de Octubre and Internacional.

I'm reading Jesus the Christ right now. It's an amazing book, like everyone says. Everyone, I know that Jesus Christ is our Savior. I don't know why in the world we lose sight of that sometimes. We have to know that he really suffered and lived for us. His example was amazing! Every single temptation he overcame. He completed everything his Father sent him to accomplish. We can do the same.

Something I learned in the mission is that we can't do the work of the Lord if we aren't obedient. Maybe it seems impossible to be 100% obedient? It's not. It's hard no mas (It's not hard now). If you want spiritual experiences go out and get them. The Lord wants us to see miracles. The Lord wants us to be closer to his presence. I think that if we completely understood that and only had faith more of us would be progressing a lot faster.

Happy Birthday to Andrea, Nathan, Gabe, ….and all the other March birthdays I can't remember right now! (Elder Layton's birthday was on March 6th)

I love you guys and pray for all of you. Pray for my investigators!

Elder Layton

This Field is Ready to Harvest in Puente Piedra

This letter was the first traditional snail mail letter we have receieved from Elder Layton while in Peru. It is not as current as a couple of the older posts, which were received as email. But it has good information that we didn't really receive before. By the way, it appears that snail mail takes about 1-1/2 weeks from Peru to the States...or at least, that's what this one took.

My mission is great. It's good to finally get started in Peru. My first interview with Presidente Perez was today. He's really cool. I have two companions, Elders Acevedo and Cairampoma, although Cariampoma may be leaving soon due to health reasons.

My first day here I hung out at the office with Elder Rich, Vargas, the AP's, etc. and they showed me around. I went and visited a family with Elder Rich and Vargas and we had dinner there. I love the Peruvian food; haven't gotten sick yet (although from what I hear I'm sure it's coming). My first day I slept to catch up from the traveling, and the second day we met up with my companions, went to a Zone conference, and then I went to a baptism with my companions that night. They said I'll be getting a little aware from the Zone even though I didn't do NADA! :) It was a good experience for me though.

My comps are really good. The mission is 10x more strict than the USA mission...well they're all the same for the most part, but it's enforced here, which I find to be a good thing. I'm so lucky to be here.


All the Elders I've met are so tight. There are dogs everywhere, dirt floors. We're lucky to have cement. Part of our ceiling is cardboard. It's cold. WE don't have running water in the morning or night(which I've found is just about the time we use it), it's dirty all the time, the trees are covered with dirt, there aren't llamas in Puente Piedra (the name of my town, district & zone), BUT the work goes on! It's so cool. Compared to Arizona the people are so ready. We really do nothing for them except introduce the Gospel and let the Spirit do the rest. If you want, you can commit someone to baptism every day, the people are very ready. The people give us so much food! We eat dinner with the members and Breakfast and Almuerzo with the family we stay with The Angel (pronounced "On - hel") Family. They're the best. I'm truly blessed to be in this mission. Even the Zone I'm in, Puente Piedra, is normally the highest baptizing mission by far, not that baptisms are what we care about, it's our whole purposed but it is a blessing to see this many people change their lives.


Everyone stares at me like I'm a freak, which I am. Truly though, I feel like a giant when I get on a Combi (they're small buses).


I love the Gospel. I got to bear my testimony again at Church, and of course I bear it everyday. I'm so grateful to have everything I have. You guys, be grateful for carpet and water that's absent of parasitical substances. I love you mi familia.

The Mission is So Much Fun - I Love Every Minute!

Okay I have a lot to tell you and not that much time. I'll make this fast. HOLA!!! how is everything. Peru is so amazing. The reason I didn't email yesterday was because I was at the offices. I'm in a trio with Elder Acevedo and Cairampoma. Elder Acevedo is from Nicaragua and Elder Cai is from here, Peru.

When I flew in we were above the clouds and it was like a carpet of clouds everywhere you looked. When we went below the clouds everything fogged up and stayed that way until we touched the ground. In the Miami airport I met up with all the missionaries heading to the MTC here. I was the only one going into the campo (field). I talked with two Peruvians and left a Book of Mormon with one and I gave another lady some Sunchips I had. It turned out when we got on the plane the lady I gave the Book of Mormon to was right in front of me and the lady I gave the Sunchips to was right next to me....it was a big plane - go figure.

So I talked to them, and found out that the lady who I had given Sunchips to was a Jehovah's Witness, that she lived in both the United States and Peru (she spoke some English) and had been starving from her long trip so she thanked me very much for the food. The other lady I talked to mostly in the airport. She didn't speak English but I gave her the first lesson, and I think the Spirit touched her enough because it made me feel good - she wants to come to church. I got both their addresses. Tight huh? thats just proof to me that God is leading me, even when i don´t know it.

Peru is so awesome. The second day here I saw Elder Griffin (Elder Griffin was Elder Layton's first companion in the MTC - shown here on the right) at his zone conference (the office Elders took me to meet the President - I'm not in his zone) and he told me that right before he came there some guy on a bus pulled out a gun on him (Wow! Elder Griffin must really be preachin' with power if he got someone that upset - and his first week too!).... crazy stuff... haha, we played piano together just like old times. I've missed that Elder. Also there I saw my friend, Elder Nathan Stewart from BYU. He's a Bolivian Elder, but of course they're all coming here. It was random...but so good to see another familiar face. He actually looks a lot different. Way skinnier haha. He'll get more food here. We eat a lot here. Too much honestly. I always have to fight the food down. Don't get me wrong, it's all amazing. Mucho rice...corn, soup, chicken, you know, all the good stuff. The drinks are really good. We usually don't just have water. We have hot chocolate milk...herbal teas, a drink that tastes like black licorice, a lot of Inca Cola, and other stuff.

There are dogs everywhere. I'm bent at the waist in buses usually, they all drive like crazy people. Lanes dont mean nada (nothing). Freak. Everyone honks. There's party music all night too... it's not the best atmosphere to teach people, but we do what we can. I love the people. My very first night with my companions after the zone conference we had a baptism for familia Coral. Husband and wife. They're really great people. I have pictures so I'll have to send them. We're not allowed to send them over email, but maybe I'll be able to slip in an sd card.

Hmm, what else? We have several people with dates... the people are so receptive. I love it. My companions work very hard. I love it. The Mission President's my favorite. This missions my favorite. Its so great. I'm already great friends with the whole district. We have a lot more unity here with zones and districts for some reason than we did in Arizona. I like it.

It's way expensive to send one letter.... 2 bucks each. Also... you CAN'T send beef, cheese (pretty much food), clothing, anything expensive like cameras, ipods, money, basically nothing of value, ties, etc.... I guess the airport here opens everything thats sent and if its any of these things will either take it or make the recipient pay a tax on it which can be up to $200... and the Church won't pay for it...so basically dont send those things.

The work is good. I'll probably email mostly because I only have $25 a week, but don't worry. I'll try to send letters when i can. I love you guys. The mission is so much fun - I love every minute. I just hope I can do my best.