Recent Converts in the Temple

Something I learned this week is numbers don't matter. Because Peru grows so dramatically fast sometimes it´s easy for us as missionaries to get caught up in the excitement of numbers… but…. We WON! Hahahahahhaha. This month the offices tried something new. They put out in our weekly mission news letter that the Zone with the most confirmations gets to go to lunch with President and his wife. I don't know HOW we did it but we had more than the jungle, here in good old Puente Piedra!!!!!

That's not very important though. Almost all of our converts are going to the temple this Saturday. We even have a couple investigators that are going up with the group to be able to see the temple. It's exciting to see the people we baptized on Saturday be able to go. Edith, Shirley, Geosselyn, and Junior were all confirmed on Sunday and had their temple interview after church.

I was able to baptize them all again… which I feel little bad about. The people in their baptism interviews almost always choose the Gringo….and honestly I would LOVE to give my companion more opportunities….but I guess it doesn't really matter that much.

15 Investigators came to church. The ward is growing dramatically because of how much the ward is working. We've done almost nothing! We helped the Mission Leader make up a ward mission plan a few weeks back, and we've been sharing it with all the members.

I still play the organ in church. The mission leader asked Elder Moreira and I to give the gospel doctrine class (Which is overflowing btw) so we taught about the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and then after that I was able to present the mission plan to the adult members of the ward (on the 5th Sunday we teach about the missionary work). I feel thankful to be able to be in this ward. Our Bishop, Bishop Cabellos is inspired and loves the members. We finds time for everyone.

I just wanted to express my love for all of you. If you're reading this go to DearElder.com and write me a letter and tell me what's up, okay? I love hearing from you.

This week I had the experience of being attacked by fleas again. I love Peru and all the fleas….. just to describe the experience, it's worse than a mosquito bite and there are more of em. I'm on garlic pills again so hopefully that helps. The Lord will bless me according to my obedience to the laws of health….AHHH it itches!!! Hahahaha.

Bueno, perdon for the short letter.

Love,

Elder Layton

Thanks to Heavenly Father We've Been Blessed With Success

Hey what's up?

Things out here in Zapallal 1 of Puente Piedra are doing amazingly. I just got out of the temple. We woke up at 4:30 in the morning.... so of course I feel a little exhausted right now. I think we'll go home and sleep an hour or two before 6pm. We've been busy here working hard.

Thanks to my Heavenly Father we've been blessed with success beyond anything I could have ever hoped for.

13 INCAS! (Investigators in the Church) I was privileged again to be John the Baptist on Saturday! We baptized five people. William, a young man who has a brother in the ward but their parents aren't members. Leidy a young women and reference from the grandmother of Astrid (Astrid the girl we baptized two weeks ago). Claudia, a girl whose mother is less active. Rosa, the best friend of a women in the ward named Adela. Rosa has two little children and a husband but her husband is never home so we haven't had the opportunity to talk with him yet. Rosa had been taught by missionaries for a long time but they never challenged her to baptism. She accepted right away! Also we baptized Rosa's younger brother who's 19 years old!!! (I thought he was 16 before). All of them were confirmed on Sunday and are doing great!!!

I ate chicken feet this week. I would have to lie if I said they were delicious.

We contacted 202 people.

The girl that was baptized on Saturday named Leidy has two sisters Shirley and Giosselyn and a friend that lives with them named Edith. Leidy introduced us to them a while back and they're stoked for their baptism this week. Also a young man named Junior will be getting baptized this week. We've taught him all of the discussions as of last Thursday and a little in Church because it's impossible to find him because of work, but he's committed to come to his interview this week and be baptized on Saturday. Junior's great! He's fifteen years old and he has family that lives in Atlanta, Georgia.

On the 5th of September we'll be baptizing a man named Jesus (he'll really feel like John the Baptist on the 5th) who has been going to church forever but finally made the decision to get baptized. He told me a story about a while back his life was really messed up and he was about to join the Neo Nazis or something, but he has a changed spirit and I feel he's prepared for the 5th. Also a girl named Paola will be getting baptized on the 5th.

The cousins and brothers of Paola need a little more time to prepare. Jhair and Alizon her cousins and Martin her brother have baptism dates for September 19th. The mother would be getting baptized but she's not married. We taught her the law of chastity and we have to verify but I think she'll decide to split up from her boyfriend. The mom's been living with this guy for 20 years or something but he abuses her and I encouraged her that to live the law of chastity one of her options was to split up. She said that she wants to.

We also found a family that have 8 kids, the parents are married. We have an appointment to go back and the mom and 3 of the kids have baptism dates for September 12th. We have permission slips signed and everything so it should all go pretty smoothly.

Also a mom and her daughter came to church. The mom didn't have desires to get baptized but she signed the permission slip of her daughter Merlit and she wants to prepare for September 19th.

All I know is I haven't really done anything but be obedient and work hard. It's been hard being Senior companion but my companion is one of the best examples to me. I feel blessed more than I can explain.

Saturday was so funny. I got to the last baptism and Claudia didn't want to get into the water. She was screaming because the water was freezing cold... hahaha. After about 15 minutes with the help of her aunt and uncle she got into the water, step by step. Also when Rosa (Women with two kids) came up out of the water she made the loudest gasp of air of any baptism I've ever had. Funny stuff. She sounded like an injured animal or something.

That's about it. Hasta luego. The Gospel blesses lives.

I love you all, keep writing people!

Your Elder,

Elder Layton

Back to Puente Piedra

Dearest Familia,

It was an amazing week. We had the baptism of Maryorie (That's Marjury in English) and a great on at that. Her entire family is inactive but her mother and grandmother and uncle came to the baptism service, and then came to church yesterday. Maryrie's great! A little girl 8 years old…. But she always comes to church and is an example to her family.

You Wont Believe It! Guess where I'm going again? For the third time?! PUEEENNNNTE PIEDDDRAAAA!!!! Que loco. I'm actually really excited. It's a great area, and I'll have a good companion, Elder Moreira (shown at left). He was in one of my anterior (previous) zones before so I know him a little. It`ll be my best change I can already feel it.

This week was a tough one actually in terms of finding new people to teach, or that want to progress. Apart from the investigators we are teaching there aren't tons of people in our minds because we had to leave several that really just weren`t putting in their parts. Alberto is still preparing for his baptism and everything. We`re also teaching his son. Although he didn't come to church I know he'll make it to the waters of baptism soon enough. He's really suffering with his amputated big toe…. It's getting better kind of. Give him another week and he'll be up and walking around.

I'd like to share with you something that the Lord has spoken in this dispensation for all of us through the prophet Joseph Smith:

For behold, it is not meet that I should command in all things; for he that is compelled in all things, the same is a slothful and not a wise servant; wherefore he receiveth no reward.

Verily I say, men should be anxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many things of their own free will, and bring to pass much righteousness;

For the power is in them, wherein they are agents unto themselves. And inasmuch as men do good they shall in nowise lose their reward.

But he that doeth not anything until he is commanded, and recievth a commandment with doubtful heart, and keepeth it with slothfulness, the same is damned. (D&C 58:26-29)

The word damned is like a dam on a river. These people can't progress or have something slowing them down.

Obedience isn’t just to complete with the minimum and the written rules. God wants us to follow His example and learn to create, work, experience life, love, do things without be told, avoiding laziness.

Bueno, realmente estoy muy agradecido por todos las cartas. (Well, I really am very grateful for all of the letters.) I even got on from Uncle Danny! That was cool. Also I'd like to give a shout out to Kelsey Costello. You rock.

Please keep praying for the mission and the people here that are able to receive the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I'm so thankful for every one of you. Thanks for everything. The mission is amazing.
　
Love,

Elder Layton

It's Deja Vu All Over Again

Gwen Rich received pictures from her son Landon a few days back. She forwarded on some of the pictures with Sean in them. THANKS SISTER RICH!!

The letter today was great. It's posted below.

All LDS missionaries perform regular service. Shown below are Elders Rojas, Layton, an unknown Elder, and Elder Rich.

Elders Rich and Layton

The Pucallpa Zone


Elders Rojas and Layton in Pucallpa


This was a skit put on by the missionaries in Pucallpa. We don't know what it was for or why the missionaries were involved, but it looks like they had fun.


Elders Layton and Rich

Dearest Family and Friends,

This week was great!!! It was a little out of the ordinary cause I had an emergency change and now I'm back in Lima. I don't care. It's the same work and I'm eager to get to my new area. I say new area cause right now I'm in the same Puente Piedra that I started in. The same pension, Hermana Silvia, and I loving it. I'll be leaving here at the change almost for sure so I'll let you know.

I had the best experience ever. When I think of Puente Piedra the first family that pops to my mind is familia Romani. They were a family Elder Acevedo and I found about a week before I left here. They came to church but I never knew what happened to them. Thursday was my first day here from the Jungle, and we were walking by the church. There was a group of members getting ready to go to the temple. They were part of the members going to the temple!!!!!! That is happiness. I gave hermano a hug, and he was pretty excited to see me since I was the one to start teaching him. I guess the missionaries after followed up and they got baptized really quick. I can't really describe it. It was just the best reunion ever.



At church I bumped into all the first members I got to know. They gave me a hard time because they all remembered how I barely spoke anything when I was there the first time. It's weird now cause I can get to know them better. I saw some members I knew from Pucallpa. The nieces of Leyder and Romi that we married and baptized go to church here. It was cool.

My companion for the couple weeks I'm here is named Elder Gomez. He ends in November so he has a lot of time. Just to let everyone know I've never been happier. We're working hard and working with references so we might even get some more baptisms before I leave (We baptized 3 this week). I don't really miss the jungle. I mean, the air's a little better over there but we do the same stuff.

I was able to make a CD finally and I'm sending it out today for sure. That's the awesome thing about Lima. Things aren't ridiculously expensive. I can send letters again!!!! Well keep writing. I love you all very much. Keep reading the scriptures, praying, and growing!

Peace, Elder Layton

Peru Lima North Mission

This was sent to us through an independent and nameless source (thanks Andrea). We're fairly sure it is the Puente Piedra zone.

And this one is of two of the Elders in Elder Layton's zone who did not get the memo to NOT LOOK THE DOGS IN THE EYES (see previous post of October 14th)! Read the memo Elders, read the memo!

Finally, those of you who know Ricky Pullan probably already know this, but he will be receiving his call anyday. It's customary for friends and family to take wild stabs at where missionaries are going to go to, so here's my guess. It's either going to be to the Southern US (or some other place in the States - or Canada), Asia somewhere, Europe or South America. I'm also leaving open the possibility of either Africa or somewhere else. I will definitely go on the record that he will NOT be going to Antarctica, Communist China, Iran or the moon. I'm willing to go out on the limb like this. That's just how I am. Feel free to leave your guesses here in the comments section, but you cannot take any of the areas I have already covered.

Experiencing Conference Talks First Hand!!!

How is everything. I´m missing you a lot but I finally feel like I´m getting lost in the work. Really though... for a long time everything was so stressful and busy and new that I went through withdrawls pretty much more or less. I can´t explain it now but I´m having the best time of my life.

The people are amazing. Yesterday was one of the best days ever. We baptized Hermana Angelica. She was the last in her family to be baptized. She´s my age and she´s great. It was the first chance I had to help someone from the very beginning to hear our message all the way through, make commitments, and be baptized. It was my second baptism here, and we have more dates too. That´s exciting. I didn´t do the baptism prayer but I was able to bear my testimony and it felt great. We did the baptism and confirmation yesterday during conference because of the saturday sessions. President Perez gave us all permission to watch all the sessions, cool beans.

I play the piano in Sacrament, and I direct a lot because nobody knows music here. I´m teaching my pension, Hermana Silvia, to play piano, so we´ve been doing a little theory during meals and stuff. Hermana Silvia´s the best ever. She´s very involved in the ward so I love her for that.

Oh…about conference. That was sweet. In the Sunday afternoon session that Area Seventy (Elder Eduardo Gavarret) that talked spoke about my exact area! Puente Piedra. I just talked with the Stake President he talked about just yesterday. Also the man that spoke right after him was in our area two weeks before, and the closing prayer was given by President Nash who just came and talked with us because he´s over our mission. He told me that he came to Bend when he was an Area Authority there several years ago. (And that answers the question that I posed in the last post.)

Anyway, I´m talking a lot about me. The people here are so chill. Most of the time they just stare at me after I go off in Spanish because of how gringo I am. They have a good sense of humor though. Some are humble… others aren´t. People are basically the same everywhere… except for the crazy people we saw last night. We were just leaving our apartment and this chic was beating up her boyfriend and he just took it…crazy….I probably shouldn´t have told you that but it was pretty bad. (more on this below). They´re normal for the most part. I love you all. Let me know what´s going on. I´m glad eric and briana went to Prom. Hopefully they had a fun time.

Nothing Elder Layton has brought up has really concerned us. But his first companion, Elder Griffin, who is also serving in the Lima Peru North Mission, ( he has a blog found at http://taylorlimaperu.blogspot.com/) recently had an interesting post . (This is a picture of Elder Griffin at the right.)

I actually had a gun experience this week. DONT FREAK OUT I AM STILL ALIVE...but it scared the .... out of me. All 4 of us were on the bus, I was in the back and this guy sat next to me a normal looking guy. I started talking to him about the church, when he started saying stuff that I didn’t understand. I said NO entiende -I don’t understand. He pulled out a hand gun out of his jacket secretly and said entiende esto- understand this...I said ya. He put his finger over his mouth not to say anything...I thought I was going to get robbed and shot. Once more he asked me if I understood what it was but this time he did the action of death the finger and the neck thing....I honestly thought I was dead. He asked who I was with and I said the two other gringos and my companion. He said yo su amigo-I am your friend. I didn’t understand because one second he had a gun pointed at me and the next he is saying he is my friend he pulled out a badge (secret police) and smiled..

I still don’t know if he was an actual police man or what but I know that the lord protects us every single day and that every single day is a blessing because I did not know if I had another day. I pray for protection every single prayer and I am alive. That was a good testimony builder. AGAIN I AM ALIVE DONT FREAK.

So, Peru looks like it will hold a few challenges along the way. But he's doing the work of the Lord and we are not really very worried.

General Conference Speaker Mentions Puente Piedra

Elder Eduardo Gavarret of the Seventy spoke at conference today. He mentioned Puente Piedra, Peru, where Elder Layton is serving right now. Here is an excerpt of his talk.

President Angelo Aracon' from Puente Piedra Stake in Lima Peru', shared the following experience with me. "Each Saturday, the missionaries, the Bishop, some leaders from our city organization and I, visit the less-active members, some non-members and new converts from 8:30 A.M. til noon". At this point of his story,the words of a hymn came to my mind. Dear to the heart of the Shepherd, dear are the lambs of his fold. Some from the pastures are straying, hungry and helpless and cold. See the Good Shepherd is seeking, seeking the lambs that are lost. Bringing them in rejoicing, safe from such infinite cost.

Brother Vargas, whose home was located in an area of limited access, received a call on Saturday morning. It was President Aracon', calling from his mobile phone announcing his arrival. Brother Vargas then said, "I'm surprised, it's very hard to reach my house." To which came the reply, "Well, I am at your door right now, and I wish to speak to you. We need you. And we invite you to come to our church meetings tomorrow." Then, the man who had stopped attending church for many years replied, "I will be there". Thus, he started his journey back home.

I don't know if Elder Layton knows either this Stake President or Brother Vargas, but I'm going to ask.

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.