The Mad Monkey, A New Companion, and More Succcess

Hello!

(We read on another missionary Blog that one of the monkeys left with the pensionista in Pucallpa had died. Worried that it might have been the one that Elder Layton left, I did some checking...not the same monkey. It turns out that Elder Layton's monkey is alive and well...other than the fact that it won't let anyone hold him. Below, Sean gives us his theory as to why the thing is so disagreeable.

To start out I'd just like to say that first off, my monkey is angry because he just feels lonely and scared because I've been away from him so long. Of course he's still alive and healthy because he eats well, thank goodness. I heard he needs a passport to come home with me... how much is a monkey license anyway?

This week has been great. I'm tired but in a good way. Actually I'm just tired of sitting down typing stuff. Today we have to do a report of all the converts in the zone for 1 year which will take a long time. It's my first time doing it, because the last time they did it was in September. It's fun!

Yesterday my companion and I talked in church along with the missionary Joel Vasquez that just got home. I talked about prayer and my companion about repentance.

On Saturday we had two baptisms!!! Martha and Jhonny!!! Martha was really happy. It took two attempts to baptize her but she left the water beaming. Her whole family was there and they all were way happy. She's an older woman but she does have a boyfriend that lives in another part we're teaching. He has to get divorced first before they can get married.

Jhonny Guzman on the other hand has had his eyes set on getting baptized for a couple weeks now. He also knows that he's going to serve a faithful mission in a couple years. But I've also given notice during our lessons with him that he has his eyes set out on something else. A girl. Not just any girl. The daughter of our bishop! It was actually the constant texts he was getting during our lessons that sparked my interest. Anyway, it was very "precious", 'cause after the baptism she went over to congratulate him and they shared a nice long hug together. But I'm glad he was baptized for the right reasons.

My new companions name is ELDER GARNICA!!!! His brother's also in our mission, but he's ending along with my companion Elder Rodriguez. I knew his brother very well. I was in the same zone as him many times. But the Garnica that`s going to be my companion i don't know very well. He's cool im sure! So that's all I know... of course I'm staying here in INDEPENDENCIA!!!! This month we have a goal to beat this zones record. Independencia's overall record is 33 confirmations as a zone in one month.... which of course is extremely low for the mission, but I know we can do it.

Well, that's all the time I have to write. I would like to add a thought....but maybe I could just add an invitation. That's better. Read your scriptures. Say your prayers.

Have a wonderful week!!! I love you Mom, Dad, Nana, Eric, Curtis, Grandpa y Grandma Chiechi/Layton, Uncles/Aunts, Cousins, Nephew (Christies baby), and all my great friends!

Sincerely,

Elder Layton

Blessings of the Book of Mormon

Familia! Amigos!

We baptized Julia Martinez this week. Her sister was happier than she was I think! Erica is an active member , secretary of the Relief Society but she was the only member of her family before. Now that her sister's going regularly she won't feel as alone.

Next week we have two baptisms. Johnny Guzman, a young man, and Martha, a mother of a member named Paola Vasquez. I'm really close with the Vasquez family so it's going to be great to have them there. Paola's brother-in-law Joel is coming home from his mission this Friday so that'll be cool to be there. He comes home Friday morning, and we're going to eat lunch in the afternoon. My companion Elder Rodriguez is friends with Joel from the MTC here in Peru. So I thought that was cool.

I like the room you showed me. It looks cool. Mostly the pool. This Saturday we're going over to Presidents house for lunch too because my companion's ending and everything. My companion's thinking a lot about home and everything so I'm doing my best to encourage him to keep working hard haha. He surfs for billabong so he's always talking about that and other things.

The Assistants told me that you called the offices dad and that you're trunky or something thinking about home ahha honestly I'm getting nervous even knowing that it's getting closer and closer. (Actually, I called to get info on his release details as I was instructed to do. The secretarty told me that Sean was his zone leader so I told him to tell Sean NOT to get trunky. So it got twisted.)

My plans are really only a few things right when I get home. New clothes, a job, to visit everyone... I'm planning on having some sort of short term calling so I've also been thinking a ton about that. I don't know.....if you want to start passing out that Returned Missionary Form too I'd appreciate it. ;)

Okay enough of that....that feels weird. It's not that often I talk about leaving Peru....hmmm. Sunday was Carnival. Well....all February is carnival but especially the Sunday so what that means is that everyone tries to throw water balloons at us. It's dangerous cause some of them have paint. Crazy Peruvians!!!! I love em.

Okay here's something I was reading the other day.

3rd Nephi 26:

6 And now there cannot be written in this book even a hundredth part of the things which Jesus did truly teach unto the people

11 Behold, I was about to write them, all which were engraven upon the plates of Nephi, but the Lord forbade it, saying: I will try the faith of my people.

I was impressed the reason we don't have the rest of the things Jesus Christ taught this people. The Lord said I will try the faith of my people. Honestly I think some of the things he taught these people were revelations specifically for our day. It would make sense because right before verse 6 Jesus was addressing the last days. I think that if Mormon had written those things down on the gold plates, the physical evidence of those sacred things wouldn't give us the same opportunity to test the faith of many in the last days. It's just a theory I have I guess, but I really know that the Book of Mormon is just that. A test of faith. The Church stands or falls on the Book of Mormon. So for anyone who's read it and prayed it stands. For anyone who doesn't, it falls, for them at least. I'm blessed to have this testimony and I hope that we can all grow closer to our Heavenly Father everyday. That's why we should read the Book of Mormon, because there's not another book that brings us closer to God.

I love you all so much. Happy Valentines Day.

Love love love,

Elder Layton