(Note: It looks like our letters may be coming on Tuesdays for now instead of Mondays. The first paragraph below was actually a quick follow up note he sent after his email.)Oh yeah mom.....it rained a lot. We walk on small little puentes (bridges) to get to our citas (appointments). The bridges consist of a board, and two other small pieces of wood for legs. All the kids jump out their doors and go swimming in the brown water, and no I haven't fallen in. hopefully that never happens. oh yeah.... one lunch while we ate I went fishing with a stick, a hook, and a piece of bread, and I caught a catfish. I wish I had my camera then. (I should have used the title, "Gone Fishing" for this post.)
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Buenos Dias, I couldn't write you yesterday because we had interviews with president, so of course I got all of your letters!!! Loved 'em. Thank you for the package Grandparents in Vegas!!! The chocolate will last me a long time. No worries though, our pday changed to today. We just got done playing futbol...soccer, in a stadium with the whole zone. Vacan. This week was a big week for us. I was a little bummed earlier this week cause all the photos I had on my camera were erased somehow. Luckily I got the pics my comp had and I made a couple cds before that happened so it's not that bad. I'll be sending em asap.
Everyone, this is the best time in my mission. There's nothing better than serving in the work of the Lord. Really I'm grateful for every one of you... my family, girlfriend, cousins, other friends...my leaders. Really, you've all helped me grow in so many ways. I got a letter from Elder Rau yesterday. He's doing so well. I can tell from his letters that he's striving to be exactly obedient and he's working hard. Same to all the other guys out in the field.
My Zone's doing great. President's happy with the results, but of course, being President, he wants more. It's so hard but I've never felt better. It's something you can't explain unless you've served a full time mission.... I love the work. It only feels right now like we´re straining to get over the next hill. I don't know if I'll be here another change, so of course we have to do everything here we can.
Yeah, my birthday was awesome. My comp invited tons of members and investigators and we watched Joepsh Smith profet of the restauracion. Hermana Lilia Reatagui (We baptized one of her grandkids Cesar, and next week I'm baptizing Antonino, a different one of her grandkids) gave me a hammock for my birthday........yeah. She knew exactly what I wanted haha. After that my comp caked me in the face and we went home happy.
I was thinking a lot about Alma this week. I'm in Helaman now, but it's so so so important. The first time in my mission when I read the BOM in the MTC I cruised through Alma 45 until Helaman....cause it's just war, war, war. But something that's so important is to look at what Moroni did. If everyone were like Capitan Moroni even the gates of hell would shake. We can be like him. These chapters teach us that he fortified his cities, prepared to defend against the Lamanites, and did everything possible to live righteously. But something that really hit me is that it explains his entire life... preparing to defend, until the end of his days. It's not just a few chapters and so what's the point? We have to do it. We can't just sit and do nothing, even if we think nothing bad's coming, or the enemy isn't even close. There was a time when the Lamanites attacked the City of Zarahemla in the middle of all the cities of the Nephites. The Nephites of course didn't expect an attack on the strongest part of their defenses. Because they weren't prepared, they fell. It's the same in our lives. We have to defend, fortify, and prepare always, like Moroni. I know these things are true, and I know through faith, repentance, keeping covenants, and living the commandments, we can be blessed and find more happiness and peace. Our families are so important.
Love you all,
Elder Layton
